Chapter IX

Hello and greetings to all! Yes, it is time for yet another chapter of Miasma Saga: Fairy Tail's Demon King. Hopefully everyone enjoyed the previous chapter, and hopefully everyone enjoys this chapter as well. If you do, be sure to post a review. As usual I would like to thank my coauthors, Bakuto Masaki and TheLastNanaya, for all of their help with the story. Nothing else to say here, so on to the reviewer responses, no?

ParkerThomas: Wow, shocking. Cool. That was something I was rather worried about, since it is so far out of left field. It certainly does. Yeah, I wanted to put hers off for just a little longer. Well Mira is a slut for him. She'd be willing to have sex anywhere any time if he wants it. As for Erza, she's been saving herself specifically for him all this time, plus she's not exactly what I'd readily call sane.

correnhimself316: That's always good. I don't want anyone to be miserable reading the stories I write. It might be. Or it could be something entirely separate.

superpeirce: That's an unfortunately complex question that entails a lot of spoilers. But I can say that it's connected to events that'll come up later in a big way. As for Julius, he was always a bit of a lady killer before, though not necessarily a flirt. And it's been four hundred years since then, so people change sometimes.

Naruto? He's not in the story yet.

Well that does it for the reviewer responses, a smaller sample than usual. But that is how it goes I suppose. On with the chapter then.

Sergio, Lucy, and Loke walked through the Spirit Realm in search of Milla Maxwell, the Lord of Spirits. After looking through much of the grounds, the group eventually happened upon the blonde sitting in a steamy bath spring, relaxing.

"Yo, Milla," Sergio said as he and the other two walked up to her.

Maxwell turned to him in surprise, making no effort to cover herself. "Oh Jude! Did you come to help me make more Spirits?"

Sergio chuckled lightly. "Sorry, not this time. I'll get you pregnant later."

Lucy and Loke then walked up beside him.

Maxwell frowned slightly as she turned to Loke. "Alvin."

Loke nodded.

"I thought I told you that you were never to return to the Spirit Realm."

"That's not fair! He'll die if you don't allow him to come back!" Lucy argued vehemently.

Sergio folded his arms. "Milla, the time's up."

Maxwell raised an eyebrow in thought. "It is? I thought there were a couple years before the time was up."

"Time?" Lucy asked in confusion.

"The amount of time Alvin was suspended," Sergio explained.

Lucy blinked in thought. "Wait… it's not permanent?"

Loke gaped. "Hold on, I wasn't banished!?"

Maxwell shook her head in response. "I wanted you to feel the same loneliness and abandonment each of Karen's other Spirits felt while abused by her. So the amount of time each Spirit had been under her command cumulatively is how long you were barred from entering the Spirit Realm."

Sergio snickered and added, "And Muzet and I thought it'd be funny if you thought you were on death row the whole time."

"You asshole!" Loke cursed with a tic mark.

"I won't deny that."

Lucy tilted her head in confusion. "Wait… so he's not banished anymore…?"

"He wasn't banished to begin with. He was put on suspension. He was just told he was banished so that he'd feel the crushing loneliness Karen's other Spirits felt."

Lucy frowned in frustration. "That's just mean."

Sergio huffed in derision. "If you knew half the shit he put Presa through over four hundred years ago you'd do what I did too."

Loke winced lightly.

Sergio then turned to Maxwell. "Milla. Alvin's Key."

Maxwell then snapped her fingers, causing the Key for Leo to appear in her hand. "Here it is. Alvin, if you let what happened before happen again I'll have my sister think up your punishment just as Jude thought up Karen's."

Loke nodded in understanding. "Right… wait, what was Karen's?"

Sergio folded his arms. "Let's just say she had nightmares for years."

Loke raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Wait, I thought she died."

"A body was never found."

"Then where is she?"

"Around. Forced to never have a peaceful sleep until she has learned to never be cruel to Spirits ever again. Or be so slutty. And of course, thanks to the punishment, she has eternity to think of her folly. She is a Guest here after all."

"Huh?" Lucy mumbled in confusion.

"What? I dragged her here after my li'l Angel beat her down," Sergio explained.

"That sounds… disturbing."

Sergio folded his arms with a huff. "I didn't do that if that's what you're thinking."

Lucy shook her head. "No, I know you well enough to know that. But I've seen the things you do."

Sergio shook his head. "To men. Not women. Regardless, that's not important." He then handed the Leo Key to Lucy.

Lucy looked at him curiously.

"You said you'd become his Key Holder, right? There you go. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

"U – uh… well…" After a moment of thought she nodded determinedly. "Right."

Loke was then engulfed in a bright light that died down a few moments later to reveal his appearance had entirely changed. His hair was longer with larger spikes, two of which resembled feline ears atop his head, and he wore thin-framed, azure sunglasses, as well as a dark brown, three-piece suit with an unbuttoned jacket, a red tie, and dark brown shoes.

"Wh – whoa…" Lucy muttered. "You look totally different, Loke."

He waved a hand. "You can call me Leo now." He then looked down in thought. "It feels a little weird being back in this form after so long."

Sergio twitched an eyebrow in annoyance and turned to Maxwell. "Are those cat ears really necessary?"

Maxwell turned to him and responded, "Muzet said they were essential."

Sergio sighed heavily. "Of course she did…" After a moment he turned to the others. "Anyway, who wants to meet Karen?"

Lucy looked at him curiously. "Wait, she's here?"

"Yes. This is where her punishment was carried out."

"I see…"

Shortly later, the group arrived in a small room filled with many small, animal-like creatures surrounding a single figure.

"Am I dreaming?" Leo asked in disbelief.

The figure around which the creatures gathered was a young woman with long, wavy green hair, the bangs of which covered her right eye, both being brown, wearing a cream and black bikini top, which did little to hide her sizable bust, a knee-length, dark purple skirt, light brown socks, and red high heeled shoes.

Sergio then immediately slapped Leo across the face. "That answer your question?"

Leo twitched an eyebrow as he looked at the woman.

"Is that her?" Lucy asked.

Leo nodded. "Yes. That's Karen Lilica. How did she end up this way?"

Sergio folded his arms and explained, "A yearlong nightmare of experiencing what she put her Spirits threw beat the bitchy out of her."

"Wow…" Lucy muttered.

Sergio nodded. "Yeah. It's much better than her becoming a second Bisley or a corpse though."

"Bisley?"

Sergio waved a hand dismissively. "Long story."

Karen blinked and then turned to the group, walking over to them.

Leo flinched slightly as she approached.

Karen frowned solemnly before bowing.

Leo widened his eyes in surprised confusion.

"Leo…" she began softly. "I'm sorry…"

Leo remained silent for several moments before sighing and waving a hand. "It's Aries and the others you need to worry about, not me."

Karen stood straight and looked into his eyes. "I've already apologized to them."

Leo shrugged in response. "Then I'm fine."

Karen nodded with a smile. "That's good to hear."

"However, Lucy is my new Key Bearer."

"I'm glad you have a new Key Bearer."

As the two continued to talk, Sergio turned to Maxwell. "So, how has she been, Milla?"

"Very good, actually," Maxwell answered.

"Hhmm… think she's earned the chance to travel a bit?"

Maxwell remained silent in thought for a moment. "I'd say she has earned the privilege for just a little bit."

Sergio nodded and walked up to the others.

"Is something wrong?" Lucy asked.

Sergio shook his head. "Karen."

The greenette turned to him curiously.

"You've earned the opportunity to leave the Spirit Realm. But you'll stay by my side, understand?"

Karen smiled happily and nodded. "Thank you."

"So, shall we go?" he asked the others.

"If you don't mind," Leo began, "I think I'll stay here for a bit. I need to rest for a while."

Sergio glanced at Lucy.

Lucy nodded with a smile. "Fine by me."

Sergio, Lucy, and Karen appeared on one of the many roads of Fiore.

"Welcome back to Vanaheim," Sergio said loudly as he spread his arms wide.

Karen, seemingly ignoring his grandstanding, looked around in thought. "It's… dustier than I remember."

"Really?"

She then turned to him curiously. "So what guild are you in?"

"Fairy Tail."

"Then I suppose that's the guild I will be joining."

"Joining is up to you. You just need to follow me."

Karen folded her arms with a huff. "Well I'm certainly not rejoining Blue Pegasus."

Sergio raised an eyebrow in thought. "Oh?"

"They're more of a Host or Hostess Club than an actual guild."

"Ah…"

Karen sighed in confusion. "Makes me wonder what Jenny was thinking getting involved with it."

Sergio narrowed his eyes.

Karen turned to him in thought. "Is something wrong?"

"Jenny. She works with a Magazine company."

Karen nodded. "Yes, I know. Sorcerer Weekly. The same tepid news source that tried to get interviews with me. But even as… 'open' as I was before they felt undesirable."

Sergio narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "… What kind of idiots are Vera and Nova hiring?"

Karen shrugged. "I'm uncertain, but even before I had my… incident, both Jenny and Fairy Tail's Mirajane had become well publicized centerfold models for the magazine."

Erza, Akula, and Natsu eventually walked up to the group.

"There you are," Erza mentioned. "I was wondering where you had wandered off to."

Sergio shrugged lightly. "Had some business to handle."

Natsu glanced to Karen and pointed at her in confusion. "Who's she?"

"A friend."

Karen bowed. "My name is Karen Lilica. It's good to meet you."

Erza raised an eyebrow in thought.

As the group prepared to leave, Akula looked at Sergio curiously. "Is something wrong?"

"Karen tells me there's been some untoward activities in Sorcerer Weekly," Sergio explained.

Akula nodded in understanding. "It probably has something to do with the magazine's current senior reporter."

"And who might that be?"

"Jason. Though Mirajane can probable tell you more since she's undoubtedly had direct dealings with him."

"Wow! This is Fairy Tail's Guild Building?!" Karen exclaimed in surprise as she looked at the Fairy Tail guildhall.

Sergio nodded. "It is. Well, the new one. The old one kinda got destroyed in a guild war with Phantom Lord. Then I leveled the remains when I turned Jose into a ball of giblets and teeth."

Karen raised an eyebrow in disturbed surprise. "Jose was still allowed to be part of a guild?"

Sergio shrugged in response. "He was a Wizard Saint."

Karen huffed in annoyance. "The Council must have been in his pockets then."

"Perhaps," Sergio answered dismissively.

"It was well known that he'd launch attacks against other guilds, despite such Guild Wars being illegal. Both myself and Fairy Tail's Erza were the subject of repeated attacks by his guild."

Sergio twitched an eyebrow angrily. "… I'll be having a few words with those fucks when they call for me."

Karen raised an eyebrow curiously. "When? You make it sound like a certainty that they will."

Sergio shrugged. "I did kill a Wizard Saint. And they'll be needing a replacement."

"Right…"

Sergio opened the doors to the guildhall and saw a slim young woman with slightly tanned skin, long, straight, dark purple hair that reached her waist with long bangs framing her face that reached down to her large bust and straight-cut bangs over her forehead, and amber eyes wearing an elaborate white blazer with gold lining and a large collar that was open to reveal a white, collared shirt and a red tie underneath, the cuffs of the blazer being tucked into a pair of long, white gloves with gold trim, as well as a short, pleated, white miniskirt, black leggings which were tucked into a pair of knee-high white boots with gold trim, and a white ribbon tied on the top of her head in a bow as a headband, walked into the guildhall, holding a red sword in a white scabbard, white bandages holding the blade in the sheath tightly sitting at the bar.

He blinked in thought. "Kagura?"

The young woman, Kagura, turned to him in mild surprise. "Ah, Sensei. I'm glad I found you. I've been searching for you."

"Is that so?"

"It was not easy to track you down, Sensei."

"So you know this pretty young thing?" Makarov asked with a drunken blush to his face.

Sergio sighed. "Her name is Kagura Mikazuchi. She's one of my students."

"Well she's certainly –" Makarov began as he reached a hand up towards her but stopped when Sergio shot him a very dangerous glare. Laughing weakly, the short old man walked away.

Mirajane then walked up to the group with a smile. "Welcome back. How'd the job go?"

Lucy sighed heavily. "Weird. Very weird."

Mirajane nodded. "Sensei was involved. It'd be strange if the job was normal."

"Yeah. We saw this creepy wolf thing and a giant monster made of sand. They all had these weird masks."

Natsu raised an eyebrow. "You're crazy. There wasn't anything like that. Just Sergio being weird."

"You didn't see them?"

"See what?"

Sergio waved a hand. "He's stupid, just leave him be."

"Right…"

Sergio then redirected his attention to Mirajane. "Now, Mira, I have a question for you."

Mirajane turned to him with a curious smile.

Sergio's voice was then tinged with anger. "You're a centerfold model?"

Mirajane stiffened and began to sweat in discomfort. "Uuhh… w – well, it started after an interview with Sorcerer Weekly. With this rather energetic young woman."

Sergio folded his arms as he sat at the bar. "That would be Nova. She had a hat with a button on, black hair and a bit of white dye on the end right?"

Mirajane nodded silently.

Lucy raised an eyebrow and turned to Laki. "Is it just me or is Mira scared?"

Erza answered, "He can be rather terrifying when he needs to be."

Natsu and Gray paled, unwittingly thinking in unison, 'If she says he's scary, then that means…'

"And what did you talk about?" Sergio continued with his questions to Mirajane.

"Nothing substantial," the white-haired young woman answered, still mildly uncomfortable. "The magic I use, how long I've been in the guild, and my interests. When I mentioned an interest in modeling that's what they had me do. I started off just modeling regular clothes and things like that."

Sergio leant forward and rested his elbows on the bar, clasping his hands in front of his mouth. "And how did you become a centerfold model?"

"One of their new reporters at the time, Jason, suggested it since it pays more."

Sergio narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Akula raised an eyebrow. "There's that name again."

Erza flinched slightly in discomfort.

Sergio noticed this and asked, "Who is this rat?"

Erza answered uncomfortably, "Someone I would happily never see again."

"That jerk made me look bad!" Natsu growled.

"Anyone else want this guy dead?" Sergio asked.

Laki and Cana both raised their hands.

Wolf growled. "I want to put a bullet between his eyes…"

"Not before I do," Bisca interjected.

"I'm blowing up that bug first!" Elie added.

Sergio nodded in understanding. "Good to know. So the council send anyone yet?"

At that moment there was a knock on the guildhall's door.

"I'll get it!" Happy cheered as he went over to the doors.

The doors opened as Ultear walked into the guildhall.

Ur turned to her happily. "Aaww, Ul came to see Mama!"

Ultear smiled remorsefully. "Unfortunately that's not why I'm here."

"Wait, what!?" Gray shouted in confusion.

"You say something, Gay?" Sergio asked in annoyance.

"It's Gray!"

"Like I give a damn, pantless."

"Wh – why's a member of the Council here!?" Makarov muttered in confusion and horror.

"You think one wouldn't come after what Jose did to us and what I did to him?"

"But I already settled that matter during the hearing!"

"I'm actually here for a different reason," Ultear corrected.

"To have me bend you over a table as you eat out your mom's pussy?" Sergio posited.

"Not appropriate!" Lucy chided.

"It isn't?"

Ignoring the remarks, Ultear continued. "The Council is considering possibilities for the next Wizard Saint, and the majority are from this guild. So I've come to observe them and make a decision."

"Oh goodie," Sergio intoned with annoyance.

Makarov paled. "The guild is doomed… if there's a Councilor here at all times… we're finished…"

Sergio snickered lightly. "Don't worry, Maky." He then slapped Ultear's bottom with a smirk. "She knows what she's doing."

Ultear smirked playfully. "That's a violation." She then put a finger on his chin. "I think that requires punishment."

Sergio wrapped an arm around her waist. "Now, now, you know I'm the only one that punishes people, Ul. Or do you not want me to use tentacles?"

"STOP!" Lucy immediately shouted.

Karasuba sat as the guildhall calmed some, watching as Erza and Mirajane spoke, disgusted. "How the hell can my Mira act so friendly with the enemy?"

Lucy turned to her curiously. "The enemy?"

Karasuba sneered in annoyance. "Yes. Being all friendly with an iron cow and not even trying to get pregnant so she won't get left behind."

Lucy stared in disbelief at the silver-haired woman's proclamation. "Wh – what…?"

Sergio sighed in irritation as he sat with his arms over Ur and Ultear's shoulders. "You're still bitter about that?"

Karasuba suddenly turned to Sergio and slammed her hand on the table hard. "Of course I am! And Mira should be trying to gut that fatty redhead right now instead of being friends!"

Sergio frowned dispassionately. "I expected better of you, Karasuba."

Karasuba blinked in confusion.

"Your problems should be your own, don't drag your children into them. Why do you think Hamura lost his mind?"

Karasuba raised an eyebrow. "He took after you."

Sergio nodded. "And that's because I foolishly dragged him into my problems."

Their conversation was halted as the guild's doors opened.

Karasuba turned suddenly as the sound of armored feet stepping across the wooden floor reverberated through the air.

Everyone also turned as they saw a tall, fair-skinned woman with long, knee-length red hair pulled back into a braided ponytail and dark green eyes wearing a red and white cloak topped with golden armor, matching gauntlets, thigh-high brown boots with similar golden armor overtop, and an immense ax slung over her back.

Karasuba growled angrily.

The red-haired woman looked around in thought. "Ah, so this is Fairy Tail. I expected something more… livable and not full of holes."

Sergio walked over to the woman and shrugged lightly. "We had a bit of an impromptu remodeling recently."

Lucy leaned towards Laki and whispered curiously, "Who is that woman?"

Laki shook her head.

Karasuba stood up and hissed. "And not everything can be as big as your fat ass, Titania."

The redhead, Titania, huffed in derision. "I thought I smelled a blood-sucking parasite."

Karasuba pointed at her snidely. "Then you might want to get checked for ticks and fleas you crimson dairy cow."

Natsu gaped in fear. "I – it's like looking into the future…"

"Yeah…" Gray agreed weakly.

Natsu gulped. "Uhm… wh – what should we do if they pull out weapons?"

As if on cue, Karasuba immediately unsheathed her sword as Titania pulled the ax from her back.

Titania curled her brow in disgust. "You crass little cretin, you always find ways to push me to frustration!"

Karasuba smirked with bloodthirsty glee. "That smug face of yours always pisses me off, it's nice seeing it twisted a little. And let's not forget how you keep looking at Sergio's crotch with that stone face of yours you armored cow."

Titania twitched an eyebrow. "And that is somehow worse than how you are constantly grabbing for it? Lascivious swine!"

Karasuba growled as she charged Titania. "What'd you say you muscle-bound ox!?"

Titania raised her ax, easily blocking Karasuba's swing. "You heard me you flabby louse."

Karasuba growled before smirking proudly. "You're just jealous that he gave me three babies when all you got was one."

Titania kicked the silver-haired sword user away. "My one child has as much power as all three of yours combined. And far more grace and beauty."

"Oh man, this is bad…" Lucy muttered fearfully.

Makarov gaped. "You're telling me… this just had to happen on the same day as a Councilor coming to oversee our guild…"

Karasuba snickered lightly. "Oh? My Mira can beat your Erza any time and place, freak!"

The guild suddenly fell silent as the onlookers to the duel gaped in disbelief.

However Titania and Karasuba continued unimpeded.

Titania hissed and swung her ax at Karasuba, though the latter dodged it easily. "Me?! You're the one who joined a kill-crazy cult!"

Karasuba laughed in amusement. "Not join. Rule. I'm the head priestess. I even lord over Rori. And you lift up giant axes and swing them like a stick!"

Titania huffed in irritation. "Then allow me to swing this one at you."

"Just try it you red-headed steel cow!"

As the two's bout continued, Mirajane merely watched with a carefree smile. "This seems rather familiar."

Erza nodded in agreement as she ate a plate of cheesecake. "Indeed it does."

Lucy pointed at the two dueling women and asked weakly, "U – uhm… did anyone else notice that…?"

Sergio, stopping as he was about to eat from a plate of waffles, turned to her. "Notice what?"

"Karasuba said Erza is Titania's –" however, before she could finish, a stray piece of wood hit her on the side of head, thrown from the impact of Titania's ax.

Sergio glanced down at the unconscious blonde curiously. "You okay, Lucy?" He poked her lightly with his foot and then shrugged. "Huh. Enjoy the nap."

Erza put a hand on her chin. "I am Titania's… Titania's what…?"

Sergio looked at the expecting redhead in mild amusement. 'Well this is… surprising…'

Titania snarled in annoyance as she missed Karasuba once more before turning to Sergio. "Sergio!"

The brown-haired man instantly turned to her.

"Who's stronger? Our Erza or her Mira?"

Not even sparing a moment for thought, Sergio answered immediately. "Mira's magic is stronger but Erza's body is stronger. I tested both personally."

Titania huffed in irritation.

"What? It's just like how you two are."

Karasuba snickered in amusement.

Sergio flattened his brow as he looked at the silver-haired woman. "I wouldn't continue with that line of thought if I were you. Or you won't get any with Mira tonight."

Karasuba immediately stiffened and paled.

"I'll even chain you up as I do a full tentacle on Mira."

"No!" Karasuba argued frantically.

"Then stop fighting. Both of you."

"So be it," Titania answered before stowing her ax, Karasuba reluctantly doing the same with her blade.

"Good. At any rate your granddaughter is growing well within Erza's womb," Sergio directed to Titania.

"Uwah!" Erza suddenly exclaimed.

Sergio instantly turned to Erza with worry. "What's wrong Erza?! Is something wrong with Mitsuru?!"

"Titania is my mother!?"

Sergio remained silent for a moment before sighing. "Yes… yes she is…"

"I… was not aware…"

Sergio raised an eyebrow. "That your mom was hot and a bitter rival with Mira's mom?"

"I am going to deign not to answer that," Erza deadpanned.

"Aw."

Titania pouted heavily. "My own daughter forgot me…"

Sergio waved a hand dismissively. "It's not like she remembered me either, so suck it up, touch her belly, and say hi to your granddaughter."

Titania sighed in resignation.

Sergio raised an eyebrow. "Or are you scared of being called Granny Titania?"

Titania immediately stiffened.

"Come on Titania, you'll be a great grandmother. Look how Erza turned out!"

Titania slumped her shoulders. "But that has little to do with me…"

"Don't blame yourself for what happened all those years ago," Sergio urged.

Erza folded her arms in deep thought as the two spoke.

Laki looked at the front door curiously. "What's this package?"

"Huh?" Sergio hummed in thought.

Laki picked up the card atop the package and read it aloud. "From the one who makes the best waffles, here's a new batch." She tilted her head in confusion.

Sergio instantly grabbed the box violently. "MINE!"

Lucy, returned to consciousness, stood over Sergio's shoulder as he opened the box, revealing a large pile of blue scrolls inside. "It's just a bunch of scrolls."

Sergio turned to her incredulously. "Did you really forget how I unleashed a hailstorm of swords during my duel with Erza and how they all came out of a scroll?"

"O – oh… right."

Sergio then pulled one of the scrolls out and opened it, causing a stack of waffles to appear in a burst of smoke.

Lucy looked at the waffles in astonishment. "Whoa! Those waffles still have steam coming off them!"

"Of course they do. Anything sealed in a storage scroll has time stop for it."

"Oh…"

He then began cutting the waffles as he began eating before noticing a single red scrolls amongst the blue. He then read the text on the side of the red scroll. "A treat for the Fairy Princess. PS: If I find out you gave her dragonlings without telling me, what I did to you two hundred years ago will feel like a light breeze."

Sergio began to sweat heavily in fear. "Oh I am fffuuuccckkkeeeddd…" He then handed the scroll to Erza, who was oblivious to his expression.

"What is this?" she asked, brought from her thoughts.

"Yours…" he answered weakly.

Erza took the scroll and opened it, causing an entire fresh cheesecake to appear in a burst of smoke. Her eyes lit up with delighted hunger. "Th – this looks delicious!" She then took a single bite of the dessert and squealed loudly. "It is delicious!"

Titania drooled as she looked at the cake. "I – is that what I think it is…?"

Erza pulled it away from her fellow redhead's grasp. "Mine!"

Titania twitched an eyebrow. "Oi! Respect your mother and give her some of the ultimate delicacy!"

Sergio poured syrup onto the waffles as the two spoke. "Is this going to turn into a catfight? Because I don't need one. ESPECIALLY since Erza's carrying your granddaughter. And that cheesecake was made especially for her."

Titania sighed in frustration. "Fine."

Sergio nodded to himself. "Good. Now, need to plan my hidi – er, vacation."

Erza raised an eyebrow.

"Anybody know any good places to hide away for a while?"

"What for?" Laki asked.

Sergio stiffened. "Uuhh… vacation."

Lucy added, "I hear Akane Resort is pretty good this time of year."

Sergio blinked incredulously. "People actually go there?"

Laki nodded. "It's the world's most premiere water park."

Sergio folded his arms in thought. "I… see… who wants to go to a water park?"

"Me!" Lucy suddenly exclaimed.

Erza nodded with a smile. "That could be fun."

Millianna popped up with a playful smile. "Sounds purrfect, nya."

Sergio nodded and then asked aloud, "Anyone else?"

"Yes!" Juvia, Titania, Karasuba, Kagura, Ur, and Akula shouted in agreement.

"Ooh, can I come!?" Natsu shouted excitedly.

"N –" Sergio began to respond before stopping as he thought of all the ways Natsu could get retribution. "Maybe."

Leo then appeared in the group as well. "How about m –?"

"No," Sergio retorted flatly, interrupting him.

Leo huffed in annoyance before vanishing.

Sergio turned as he looked at Erza, Lucy, Juvia, Akula, Titania, Karasuba, Kagura, Millianna, Ur, Natsu, and Gray gathered nearby with packed luggage.

"Everyone ready?" Sergio asked.

"Yes!" the women all shouted in agreement.

"Why am I coming?" Gray asked in confused annoyance.

"Yahoo!" Natsu cheered as Happy clung to his back.

Sergio then turned to the rest of the guild that were not coming. "If a woman with big boobs and long blonde hair comes here and asks where I am tell her I'm in Alvarez. Bye!"

"A – Alvarez?!" Makarov suddenly shouted as he spat his drink in disbelief.

As the group began their trek to their destination, Lucy turned to Sergio and asked, "How long will it take to get to Akane Resort?"

Sergio put a hand on his chin in thought. "Not sure. A day or two probably."

Lucy groaned in frustration. "Great… so by the time we get there my feet will already hurt."

Sergio raised an eyebrow. "You think we're walking?"

Lucy turned to him curiously. "Isn't that how we usually get to places?"

Sergio shook his head in the negative. "Not this time. We go by luxury boat."

Natsu stiffened in worry. "You sure we can't just walk…?"

Sergio raised an eyebrow. "Across water? Karasuba, Juvia, Titania, and I can. Not sure about you guys."

"I can swim," Natsu immediately rebutted.

Sergio nodded. "You can. But you may end up eaten by sea monsters or even raped by aquatic Lamias."

Natsu groaned in annoyance.

Later, the group stood upon an immense ocean liner floating through the crystal blue waters towards Akane Resort.

Lucy looked out over the edge of the ship with wonder. "Wow… the ocean's so pretty!"

Juvia puffed her chest with pride. "Of course! Water is the best!"

Ur then poked Juvia lightly, causing the blue-haired young woman to freeze instantly. With a snicker of amusement, Ur remarked, "I win."

"Ur…" Sergio threatened.

Ur sighed in disappointment. "Fine." She then thawed Juvia instantly.

However, it was too quick as Juvia turned liquid, forming a puddle on the floor.

"Eek!" Lucy shrieked in shock and confusion.

Juvia immediately reformed and glared at Ur. "Juvia is not amused with your pranks!"

Eventually, the ship arrived at the small island Akane Resort was built upon.

As the group disembarked the ship and looked at the large park ahead of them, Sergio raised an eyebrow in thought.

"Wow!" Lucy exclaimed in awe.

"There is certainly an abundance here," Erza noted.

"It's always good to have new visitors," a new voice noted.

The group turned and saw a woman with long, waist-length, wavy, bleach blonde hair, bright green eyes, and fair skin wearing a black, button-down formal shirt underneath a black and white pinstripe suit jacket with a black tie that fell between her large cleavage, along with a knee-length black skirt, black stockings, and black high-heeled shoes.

"Whoa!" Sergio exclaimed suddenly as the blonde beauty walked towards the group.

The blonde chuckled lightly in amusement. "She told me you were an amusing one, but I didn't expect such a large entourage."

Lucy blinked curiously and tilted her head. "She?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, my elder sister, Veronica." The woman then laughed lightly. "Ah, I should introduce myself. I am Cassandra Lautreamont, third crown princess of the Lautreamont Knight Kingdom and the owner of Akane Resort."

"P – princess!?" the others shouted in disbelief.

Sergio blinked. "Man… wish Ver sent pictures of her youngest sister. I probably would've come to Arc Strada sooner."

Cassandra blinked lightly and then smirked. "Oh, I'm not the youngest. I have two younger sisters. Mirabel and Silvia."

Sergio blinked in thought. "Really? Got any pics of them, babe?"

Cassandra chuckled in amusement and pulled two photos from her cleavage and handed them towards Sergio but instantly pulled them away.

Sergio pouted. "Aaww… come on! Lemme see!"

Cassandra snickered confidently. "I didn't build such a successful resort on charity. Do you even realize how much people will pay for photos of the Lautreamont Royal Family?"

Sergio huffed lightly. "Ver keeps sending me swimsuit pics of herself once a year. For free."

Cassandra raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Is that so?" She then handed the photos towards Sergio. "That's actually very useful information. In return, you can have these."

Sergio smirked. "Thanks, babe." He then looked at the two photos of a teenaged blonde with blue eyes and a young adult woman with white hair. "Not bad. Your family has good genes." He then looked at the blonde in thought. "Although the youngest looks familiar…"

Cassandra sighed heavily. "She's almost an exact replica of our eldest sister. Sadly she disappeared some years ago."

"I see…" Sergio replied in thought.

Millianna then threw her hands up in frustration. "Enough talking, nya!"

"Yeah!" Natsu concurred. "I don't understand a word of you're saying anyway!"

Sergio sighed and stuffed the photos away. "Yes, yes, children. So, Cassy, will you be joining us for a swim?"

Cassandra began to answer when one of the staff ran up to her.

"Lady Cassandra! We've got a problem!"

Cassandra sighed heavily and turned to Sergio with an apologetic smile. "Guess that offer will need to wait. Be sure to enjoy yourselves while you're here regardless."

"We will do just that," Erza and Titania responded in unison.

As Lucy, Juvia, and the others played in the nearby ocean waters, Sergio reclined on one of the many beach chairs, watching over them passively. Though he was mostly just sitting in the sunlight. "Aahh… this is the life…"

"Do you have a moment?" Erza asked as she walked up to him.

Sergio sat up and turned to her. "Sure. You want to have Sex on the Beach?"

Erza blinks in thought and then shook her head. "N – no… it is about that woman, Titania," Erza explained as she sat in the sand next to Sergio.

Sergio raised an eyebrow. "Your mother? What about her?"

Erza frowned in thought. "So she… truly is my mother…?"

Sergio nodded. "More than likely."

Erza's frown deepened as a heavy feeling of discomfort filled her heart. "But then… that would mean… you are…"

Sergio glanced at her. "Your father?"

Erza nodded silently after a pause.

"That I am. A very loving papa."

"I see…" Erza responded unsurely.

"Is that a problem? Because it shouldn't be."

"I… am uncertain."

"And why might that be?"

Erza frowned in thought, carefully considering her response. "There is a part of me that enjoys it greatly, naturally. But there is another part that… that fills my mind and heart with shame."

Sergio sighed remorsefully. "That's the part you got from being raised by humans with their human morals. If you were never taken from us that little piece would never be a part of you. You'd also probable be near your mother in terms of power and ability when you turned eighteen."

Erza turned swiftly to object. "But I am hu –!"

"No. You're not," Sergio interrupted, causing the redhead to stiffen. "You're a half-demon. Just like your half-sister Mira and your half-brother Elfman."

Erza's eyes widened. "I – I am a… half-demon…?"

Sergio nodded. "Yes. And part dragon as well, but that part's rather negligible."

Erza narrowed her eyes and directed her gaze at the sea in front of them, her thoughts stewing with uncertainty.

"You're the daughter of a four hundred year old demon," Sergio began. "And in addition, none of my children have experienced negative side effects. In fact, most of them are stronger than normal."

Erza frowned in concern as she glanced down at her abdomen.

Sergio blinked and then smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder. "She will be amazing Erza. Don't worry. After all, her mother is."

Erza turned to him and smiled weakly with a nod. "Let us hope you are right."

Sergio nodded in return. "I am. This isn't the first time I've had a daughter with one of my daughters after all."

Erza turned to him in mild surprise before Millianna suddenly walked up to the two.

"What'cha doin', nya?" Millianna asked with a curious smile, standing right next to the duo.

Erza flinched in surprise as Sergio turned to the cat-eared young woman.

"Having Sex on the Beach," Sergio answered as he raised his glass. "Want some?"

Millianna's face turned a bright shade of red. "R – really, nya?!"

Sergio nodded.

Erza sighed in exasperation and waved a hand. "No, we are not."

"I am. It's a good mixed drink. Don't know why they called it Sex on the Beach though."

Erza and Millianna gaped in disbelief as they looked at him.

Sergio looked at the two in confusion. "What? Wait, did you think I wanted to have actual sex on the beach?"

Erza's face immediately turned the same shade of red as her hair before she ran off at high speeds.

Sergio sat in confusion before turning to Millianna. "Did I say something wrong? Because having sex on the beach is really uncomfortable."

Millianna tilted her head in confusion. "Nya?"

In another area of the resort, Lucy and Kagura walked along the beach, the blonde admiring the scenery surrounding her.

"Wow, this place is huge!" Lucy exclaimed in excitement.

Kagura nodded in agreement. "It certainly is. Though I find it vexing that the first thing Sensei does after I find him is go on a retreat."

"Maybe he doesn't like you?" Natsu surmised as he walked up behind the two before Kagura slammed his head into the sand, hard, with her sheathed sword.

"I'm sorry but did you utter something?" Kagura retorted with a dangerous smile.

Natsu twitched weakly and muttered, "N – no…"

"I thought as such." Kagura then folded her arms and looked around curiously. "Now… what to do for fun…?"

Lucy stared at the dark-haired sword-wielder in thought before asking timidly, "Hey, Kagura…?"

"Hm?" Kagura hummed in recognition as she turned to the blonde.

Lucy pointed at the sheathed katana in Kagura's hand and asked, "Why do you always carry that sword around?"

Kagura narrowed her eyes and trained her gaze on the blade. "I must always keep it with me…"

Lucy tilted her head in confusion. "What fo –?" she began before a beach ball slammed into the back of her head, knocking her to the ground.

Ur flinched and paled before pointing at Juvia. "She did it!"

Juvia gasped and then retorted, "J – Juvia did not! Ur is the one who throws like a fool!"

"Hey!" Ur snapped. "My throws are very good!"

"Juvia has seen armless babies that throw better!"

"Yeah right! You're just trying to cover up your bad aim!"

"You both suck, now go get the ball!" Karasuba demanded angrily.

Ur stuck out her tongue in childish obstinateness. "Make me, Kara!"

Karasuba smiled sweetly. "Shall I tell Sergio of that time in Bahalan?"

Ur stiffened and paled. "You wouldn't dar – you would…"

Lucy laughed lightly in amusement. "They seem to get along well."

"Of course," Kagura added with a nod. "Lady Karasuba and Lady Ur are of the Three Deaths."

Lucy turned suddenly. "Th – Three Deaths…?"

Kagura nodded once more. "Yes. Lady Ur, Lady Karasuba, and a third member I've yet to meet made up the Three Deaths. They are a team Sensei trained in the lands to the east who became famous for their ruthless efficiency in battle. And the large number of enemies they slaughtered."

Lucy gulped. "S – slaughtered… as in killed…?"

Kagura nodded.

"Scary…"

"Yes. I've only seen Lady Karasuba fight at full power once before, and when she does, most foes last no longer than a few seconds. And when she and Lady Titania get into full arguments…" Kagura trailed off before shivering with a pale complexion.

Lucy turned blue with fear. 'Oh great! Even more psychos!'

Kagura sighed before turning to Ur and the others. "But I suppose that's expected of the First and Second Star."

Lucy tilted her head curiously. "First and Second Star? Actually, Sergio mentioned something about numbered stars before too. What's it about?"

"It's our Ranking system amongst the strongest. Lady Ur is Four and Lady Juvia is Third."

"What does that –?" Lucy began before Ur interrupted by knocking Kagura on the head.

"No spouting off to outsiders, remember?" Ur chided.

Kagura, seemingly ignoring the strike to her head, turned to Ur. "Ah. Forgive me Lady Ur. I assumed she was a new member given how close she is to Sensei."

Lucy sighed in exasperation. "… I'm the only sane one here…"

"Stick around," Ur remarked, "you'll fit in."

Elsewhere in the park, Erza sat on a bench, sighing heavily as she stewed in her thoughts.

"Is something bothering you?" Titania asked as she walked up to the depressed redhead.

Erza turned in response, drawn from her thoughts. "Oh, Titania."

Titania frowned in dejection. "Is it that hard to call me mother?"

Erza slumped her shoulders slightly. "Oh, my apologies. It is just that this is all… new."

Titania sat next to Erza and released a shame-filled sigh. "It shouldn't have been…"

"I see… unfortunately, it is hard to address you as such since… I do not remember you…"

Titania shook her head. "No, it is my fault for leaving you alone in that village when I went off to hunt a monster…" Titania then stood, turned to Erza, and bowed deeply. "Please hit me as hard as possible as an apology for my failure as a mother."

Erza flinched in surprise and waved her hands frantically as she shook her head. "Th – that is not necessary! How about instead you explain to me what happened? My memories from before are… cloudy."

Titania sat back down next to Erza and nodded. "Very well. I suppose that it's the least I can do. We used to live in a small village called Rosemary. I planned to raise you there for a while and train you to be able to surpass me one day."

"Was Sergio…" Erza trailed off before correcting herself, "Father… not there?"

"He visited when he could, but he was always busy. Never able to stay in one place for too long when there were things he could do to help."

"I see…" Erza responded in confusion.

"Yes, but your father loves you very much. He loves all his children."

Erza shook her head in response. "No, I do not doubt that. It is just… he puzzles me."

Titania raised an eyebrow. "What about him?"

"All of him. He acts so carefree and flippant, and yet his actions betray the opposite. He speaks in words of total perversion, yet he never reaches too far. And… his body is entrenched in pain, yet he does what he can for others instead."

Titania sighed with confusion. "I know. And if I knew every detail I'd tell you. But he has been around for over four hundred years and has experienced all this world has to offer. One fact I do know is that it is those he considers family that keep him going. They… we, are the reason he even considers acting to help this world. To make it a safer place for his family. It destroyed me inside when I realized I had failed in the one duty he holds most dear… So I drank. Heavily."

Erza narrowed her eyes. "What happened? All I can remember is… those people showing up… and flames…"

Titania tightened her fists angrily. "That cult had made its presence known in the area multiple times, but I managed to fend them off each time they attempted to invade the village. However, one day the village was running low on food, so I went hunting. On my journey I found an extremely large monster, with enough meat to feed the village for a month or more. But by the time I returned from my hunt, they had already razed it to the ground… A – and you were gone…" Titania began trembling with anger and sorrow, the memories seared at her heart like a brand.

Erza frowned somberly, seeing the guilt on her mother's face.

"There was only one remaining survivor of the attack. A young girl…"

Erza raised an eyebrow.

Titania looked ahead and saw Kagura pointing at shapes in the sky with Lucy. "Kagura. She was the only one left after the devastation, having managed to hide in a small box. She was so scared."

Erza blinked in thought before her eyes widened in realization. "It… can't be…"

Titania turned to her curiously.

"One of the few memories I have of that time is helping a small girl hide when those men came, helping her keep safe. It was shortly after that I was caught."

"I see… you should tell her. She's always wanted to thank the one who saved her. She'd be thrilled to learn it's you. Plus, I'm sure she'd be happy to know she has one remaining connection to her home."

Erza nodded with a smile. "I feel the same."

Titania nodded in return. "So after I found her, I took the girl in and brought her to Sergio for him to train her. Unfortunately I spent the next several years drinking myself into a haze. I am pretty sure I ended up burning down a city or two as well… but then… I happened upon one of those Sorcerer Weekly magazines. And saw someone that looked like a younger me in its pages…"

Erza turned bright red before covering her face with her hands. "That is not the best way for you to have learned of me…"

Titania laughed weakly. "At first I thought it was a drunken hallucination, that they just so happened to give you the title 'Titania.' So I did what I tend to do after that. Get up, go to bed and hoped I didn't wake up to a flattened Inn. And then I received a letter from Sergio telling me to come to Magnolia. And in it was a picture of you."

Erza smiled warmly.

Titania turned and hugged Erza tightly, Erza returning the gesture immediately. "I spent so many years wallowing in shame and guilt… But now I'm going to turn it around. And train you to be on par with an upper tier star."

As the compassionate gesture ended, Erza frowned in confusion. "Star?"

Titania nodded. "Yes. The Zehn Sterne. Dammerung's elite."

"Sergio… or should I call him Father?"

Titania shook her head. "Whatever you prefer. So long as he knows the name refers to him he does not care what it is."

Erza frowned in thought.

Titania laughed lightly. "You could even call him Grand Dickerson the Unholy Behemoth King and he wouldn't care."

"That is… a sad state."

Titania raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"He lacks an identity."

"I am whatever I need to be," Sergio explained, standing next to the two suddenly, causing Erza to turn in surprise. "Savior. Destroyer. Messiah. Tyrant. Whatever is needed for those I care for. Names are a fleeting thing used by others so they can point and say 'That is mine'."

Erza frowned with mild frustration. "How can you say something like that? Your name defines you. Everything you say and do is connected to your name."

Sergio sighed and then shrugged. "I have lived far too long and done far too much for a singular name or title to encompass my life. I pick the name Sergio for myself only because it's easy to remember. The name I use and the deeds I perform are connected to what is needed of me by those who matter to me. To some I'm a teacher, a father, a leader. To others I'm an adversary, a destroyer, a maniac. Whichever title and whatever name allows those important to me to be happy is the one I will use."

"And what about you?" Erza asked pointedly.

"What about me?" Sergio asked lightly.

"Do you not have any goals or aspirations of your own?"

Sergio laughed lightly. "Your concern is laudable, but it seems you've still much to learn about me. I've obtained the greatest material wealth this world has to offer and I have been with the most beautiful women on the planet. I have a family that numbers in the hundreds, an entire religion based on me and am powerful enough that very few can touch me. I've nothing left to aspire to besides making the lives of my family as good as I possibly can. This world has nothing left to give me."

"That is simply not right!"

Sergio shook his head in response. "Right or wrong, that's how it is. I've obtained almost everything worth obtaining in this world. All that's left is to wipe out everything wretched." He groaned frustration as he ran a hand through his hair. "Unfortunately that's proving a harder task than I'd have anticipated. I'm half thinking of wiping out a continent or two to get the message across if they don't show any change."

Erza narrowed her eyes in exasperation.

Sergio smiled warmly and put a hand on her head. "So don't worry about me. I've already experienced the greatest joy this world has to offer. Though there is one thing I will likely never experience."

Erza raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"The sweet embrace of death."

Erza's eyes widened in surprise and anger. "H – how can you say something like that!?"

Sergio raised an eyebrow. "Something like what?"

Erza stood with defiant choler. "Death is not something to look forward to! It is an end! An end to possibility, to happiness, sadness, hope, everything! How can you even possibly –!?"

"Enough!" Titania interrupted.

"H – huh?" Erza grunted in surprise and confusion.

"Your words mean well, but unfortunately there is much you do not understand. It is my own failing that this is the case, but that does not mean I will stand by silently."

Sergio raised a hand. "Titania, that's enough. Our daughter is entitled to her own opinion."

"But –!" Titania began before Sergio cut her off.

"That's the end of it. She's entitled to believe what she wants. And I can't blame her. The lives of most are short enough that death is a frightening concept. So don't yell at her for saying such things."

Titania tightened her fists before sighing in defeat. "Very well."

Erza sighed in exhaustion before cringing and putting a hand over her right eye.

"Uh-oh…" Sergio mumbled.

"Are you alright?" Titania asked in concern.

Erza nodded weakly. "Yes, my eye merely aches somewhat."

Sergio began sweating as Titania turned to him. "Do you know something, Sergio?"

Sergio responded by immediately turning and trying to sneak away, but Titania responded by swinging her ax, cutting off his leg and toppling him to the ground.

"Th – that is rather excessive!" Erza argued in disbelief.

"It will regenerate," Titania explained coldly as she walked over to Sergio. "Speak," she demanded.

Sergio gulped and then laughed weakly. "I, uh… may have given her one of the spare eyes I keep around…"

Titania narrowed her eyes. "For what purpose?"

"To… replace the one she lost…"

"What…?" Titania asked in shock before turning to Erza.

Erza tightened her fists. "I… lost it while they kept me captive."

Titania widened her eyes and then turned to Sergio as he reattached his leg and stood. "Did you kill them?"

"Every single one I could find," Sergio answered. "Not sure if I got all of them, but I got as many as I could."

Titania sighed as she stowed her ax. "I see. I suppose that's as good as can be hoped for."

Sergio nodded. "Yeah. But that's enough heavy stuff, let's go and have some fun!"

Titania pointed at Erza and asked, "And what of her eye?"

"Oh, right. Well when a person has only one Sharingan the imbalance of chakra can sometimes cause pain."

"Sharingan?" Erza asked in confusion.

Sergio sighed. "Oh boy. Okay, sit back down, this'll take a while."

And that rounds out this chapter. I hope everyone enjoyed it. If you did, be sure to post a review letting me know. If you were confused or unsure about anything, leave a review and I will do what I can to address your concerns. If you did not like it, post a review if you must but I would suggest you spend your time elsewhere on something that brings you joy instead. That said, it is time to say goodbye for now. Buh-bye!