Disclaimer: At this point, I could just faff about with this thing, but the all of me that respects Hiro Mashima demands I tell you that I don't own Fairy Tail or the characters within.
Smolder
END dreamt of strange things. The fire demon caught glimpses of the same mortals he'd been hunting. Yet he felt an odd sort of easiness about seeing them. He couldn't describe it except as an absence of tension.
He also heard a voice; it didn't belong to nii-san. The voice spoke less often and didn't always speak to him. But something about it gave him confidence. He remembered hearing the red warrior call the voice's owner Dragneel, like his brother.
END liked having another to call nii-san.
"First Master."
Mavis looked up from her spot in the infirmary window. She smiled at Porlyusica.
"Am I a distraction?" She asked. The guild founder had been wracking her brain to plot out countermeasures for any foreseeable action Zeref might take. She'd needed a break; thus her visit to see Makarov. Porlyusica shook her head.
"Nothing of the sort," she said, taking Makarov's vitals down again. "I just didn't notice you."
"How is he?" Mavis asked. Her godson hadn't awoken since his most recent attack. She suspected it had as much to do with the medicine Porlyusica administered as with his fatigue.
"Stubborn," Porlyusica said, flipping out a fresh roll of gauze. "Incorrigible." She ripped a stretch of it off to emphasize her point. "But he'll be up and causing trouble again soon enough."
Mavis hid her smile behind her hand. She saw right through the medical advisor's harsh tone.
"Thank you."
Porlyusica scoffed.
"The old fool's fortunate to have such a pigheaded band of humans around with him," she said. "Seeing them all here should alleviate some of the distress that contributed to his episode."
Mavis nodded. It was nice to have everyone back-
Her brow furrowed. She retreated into her mind and her eyes lost focus, looking through Makarov.
Mavis slipped down through the floor; she needed to brief the guild.
"You've violated numerous celestial laws."
Loke tried to stand still and maintain an impassive face in front of the Celestial Spirit King. The mustached giant continued in his deep, deliberate voice.
"The act of tainting our realm's sanctity with a book of demonic origin," he said, his stony face unmoving. "Endangers not only yourself, but your master and fellow spirits."
Loke wrinkled his nose; his glasses lowered a bit on his face.
"And using that antiquated means of travel without permission, let alone at all." The lord of the Spirit Realm shook his head. "I thought you had more respect for your fellows, old friend."
The Lion spirit muttered and fixed his spectacles.
"Why are you telling me things we both already know?"
The Celestial Spirit King's voice boomed, echoing through the cosmos.
"Because you have behaved as though ignorant!"
Loke winced at the volume and rubbed his ears.
"Have you anything to say in your defense?"
The Zodiac leader tugged at the cuff of his shirtsleeve.
"I was helping a guild mate," he said, glancing down as he lowered his voice. "A guild mate and a friend."
The Lion spirit waited for the decree of his King. The armored spirit stroked his mustache and hummed.
"Ah, perhaps I have been acting ignorant," he said. Loke's ears perked and he raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I had almost forgotten that he once came here with you. Even stayed, for a time."
Loke's mind drifted; the phantom of a smile played out on his face as he recalled the memory.
"Nonetheless, old friend," said the King, pulling out his massive sword. "Law requires that punishment be meted out."
Loke sighed and nodded, dipping his head and closing his eyes. The Zodiac leader felt the space around him give way to the King's blade.
He felt a light tap on his head; the fatigue from contact with Zeref's book vanished and light coursed through him. Loke blinked. Twice.
"Now," said his King, replacing his sword. "You are sentenced to exile from the Spirit Realm until your business has been resolved."
Loke stared up at the Celestial Spirit King.
"And once you're finished, rid our home of that tome. Return it to its rightful owner."
Loke's mouth hung open. The King's mustache twitched.
"Have you any issue with my ruling," the King said, a grin turning up the ends of his mustache. "Old friend?"
Loke smiled and bowed his head.
"None, sir."
The Lion spirit left to join his guild mates.
Zeref finished restoring the body of the strongest wizard saint. The immortal mage pumped ethernano into the body's veins to reinvigorate him.
"I'm sending you ahead as a harbinger of despair," he said, watching as one of his Spriggan 12 struck dramatic poses. "Eliminate any fairies you wish; leave the guild standing."
God Serena inclined his head toward Zeref. The black wizard gave a flick of his finger to send him off.
"So yer sayin'," Gajeel said. "That Zeref used Salamander and made him go nuts 'cause he wanted us all in one place?"
Lucy made a note to thank Levy for jabbing the iron mage's ribs. She glanced at Natsu. If he'd been upset by Gajeel's comment, he didn't say so; he hadn't spoken since Mavis called everyone together.
The fire mage had been exuding a much more aggressive degree of heat than usual, even after Erza demanded he cool off.
"I think it's a good possibility, yes," Mavis said. Only Makarov was absent from the gathering in the main hall. Lucy cradled Happy in her arms; the blue Exceed refused to miss out despite his condition. "It's just about the best explanation for why he didn't strike while we were all spread thin; he wants to get rid of us in one move."
Lucy held Happy a little tighter, remembering the chill she'd felt last time she'd encountered Zeref.
"The hell makes him think he can?" Gajeel asked. "Last time one of theirs surprised us, we kicked ass."
"As powerful as the Spriggan 12 are," Mavis said. "It's unlikely any of them possess the knowledge or magic power that Zeref does."
A beat passed before anyone spoke again.
"So," Cana said, swirling the contents of a bottle around in her hand. "What are we supposed to do with that?"
Wendy turned in her seat toward Cana.
"What do you mean, Cana-san?"
"Well," Cana said, tapping the bottom of her bottle on the tabletop where she sat. "Do we stay here and fortify defenses? Or do we spread out to bring the fight to him?"
Erza placed a hand on her hip.
"The longer we deliberate," she said. "The more time we give him to prepare."
Lucy looked down at Happy and wondered at the question herself. A small sigh beside her preceded Charla's input.
"There's something else to consider," she said, standing on the bench by Wendy. "I recently had another vision."
The white Exceed took a deep breath.
"It's a little murky," she said, using a tone that tried to sound positive. "But in it, I saw Zeref in the guild." She paused. "And Fairy Heart with him."
Everyone went quiet. Lucy forgot to breathe for several seconds before Mavis broke the silence.
"Describe the vision," she said, hovering in front of Charla. "Please; with as much detail as possible."
Charla squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed her forehead.
"There's another person with him. I think it's one of our members. I can't see who it is. They're talking, but the noise drowns it out."
"What noise?" Lucy asked. Charla frowned.
"I can't tell exactly. But I can see Zeref in front of Mavis' body."
"Anything else?" Mavis asked. Lucy noticed Charla hesitate before shaking her head. Mavis hummed.
"That's still kind of vague. Do you have any sense of when these events might occur?"
The white Exceed shuddered.
"Very soon."
Mavis' eyes narrowed and she tapped her finger on her chin. Lucy listened to the buzzing whispers around the hall. Wendy hugged Charla. Lucy heard Natsu hiss; the dragon slayer had punctured his lip with his sharp canine and blood leaked down to his chin.
"What's all this moping around going to accomplish?"
Everyone looked up. Makarov stood on the second floor railing. The old wizard saint looked little better than he had in his bed, but he stood straight and held his head high.
"Nothing is totally etched in stone," he said, gesturing with his still bandaged hands. "Have you brats forgotten what I've told you all countless times?"
No one spoke.
"Never," he said. "Under any circumstance, let others dictate your limitations; whether as a person, a mage, or a member of Fairy Tail."
Makarov lifted a fist overhead.
"If the future involves Zeref coming to our doorstep, we'll face it. But we have as much a role in forging our own paths as do the hands of fate!"
Lucy felt emotion welling in her eyes. Makarov jabbed his index finger upward and his thumb to the side.
"This old man will fight until he can't move anymore! I can see Fairy Tail prospering beyond this battle! Now rally yourselves, brats!"
Lucy joined her guild mates in answering Makarov.
"AYE SIR!"
Natsu scratched the tile roof of the guildhall. He glared at the grey skies above Magnolia. The dragon slayer's left arm prickled beneath his sleeve.
He rubbed the scar on his side; Wendy had insisted on healing everyone's lingering wounds with the magic she'd regained. The younger dragon slayer had been upset that she wasn't allowed to fight given her condition. Happy hadn't been, well, happy about mandatory bed rest either.
Natsu's left hand clenched.
"Yeah." He said, digging into the roof tile with his fingernails. The fire mage's jaw tightened. One tile of the roof came off; the fingers of his right hand stayed in a hook shape even after he dropped it. Natsu buried his nose in his scarf. He pressed the fabric up to his face and took a long sniff.
The faint scent of brimstone filled his nostrils. He felt his nerves relax a little.
"Natsu?"
The dragon slayer turned to face Lucy. She smiled.
"May I join you?"
He nodded and watched her sit down.
"How'd you find me?" He asked.
Lucy scoffed.
"You underestimate me too much." She said.
Natsu recalled what his partner accused him of only hours earlier. He mumbled into his scarf.
"I never thought you were weak."
"Hm?"
"Nothin'," he said. "Did Warren find anything?"
Lucy shook her head. Natsu glanced back at her. He tugged at his scarf.
"Hey, Luce," he said, pulling Igneel's gift from his neck. "Could ya do me a favor?"
Natsu didn't give the celestial spirit mage a chance to reply before he wrapped the material around her neck.
"Keep that safe for me."
Natsu watched Lucy's eyes widen. She brushed her fingers against the scarf and stared at it.
"Why?" She asked.
"Cause I trust you," he said, keeping his gaze on her steady. "And I don't want you to resent me anymore."
The dragon slayer broke eye contact. He curled and uncurled the fingers of his left hand, keeping it out of Lucy's sight.
"I gotta plan to stop Zeref," he said. "But I ain't got a note to give you, so" he pointed at the muffler. "That's my promise that I'll come back."
Natsu turned and gave his partner the best grin he could manage. Lucy tilted her head and touched his shoulder.
"Natsu," she said, something unidentifiable in her tone. "What is your plan?"
The dragon slayer's face dropped a little. He shifted his feet against the roof in front of where he sat. He knew Lucy wouldn't like the idea.
"I"
The fire mage's ear twitched and he wrinkled his nose. He turned from Lucy and growled, bracing his hands against the roof. A violent quake shook the ground and he clenched his teeth, the sound of earth tearing filling his ears. Natsu sensed dragon slayer magic nearby.
A/N: I have so many things to say. First I suppose that, I promise, I feel every extra day it takes for these chapters just as much as you do, readers.
Apologies for the over-two-weeks it took for this one. But the rush I have now that I got it down? Outstanding! I'll admit, I had to cut out a few ideas for this chapter to feel right to me. It's worth it though! Thankfully I didn't fall prey to the whole 'I must lengthen the next chapter to make up for the wait' trap. That's not a fun cycle for anybody involved.
Hm. Now that I'm here, I seem to be blanking on all the things I thought I had to say. BUT! If you enjoyed reading this, leave a review! If you didn't, know that you can bring this man-child great joy by taking fifteen seconds to type something!
To The Reviewers:
TheAgeofAwesomeness: Hm. Some valid points there, my friend. I respect that. Regardless of your reasons, thank you for reading and reviewing! Here's one more for you! More to come ASAP!
0FairyTail0: Thank you very much! I'll do my best to maintain a flow of some kind of quality! I appreciate your readership and reviewership! (That's a word now. I say so.) Have another chapter!
xMissFortune: Ooh. Yeah. Hey, if I could be any kind of slayer, I'd be an Exam Slayer, y'know what I mean? Haha, no? Ho-kay, moving along. FEELS FOR EVERYBODY! HUZZAH! I'm so glad you found them both endearing! I do try to keep things focused, so I'm glad it's working! Thank you for continued reading and reviewing! Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Dragonslayer111 (There are another hundred and two out there? Whoa.): Thank you for reading and reviewing! As for your suggestions... I can neither confirm nor deny what may or may not happen in the rest of the story! We'll both just have to wait and find out! Hope you enjoy this chapter!