Death… ended up being surprisingly anticlimactic. At first, anyway.
With the immeasurable power of Etherion fueling his magic, Naruto managed to manipulate his powers in ways he hadn't ever thought possible. For a moment – just a sliver of a second – he honestly believed there wasn't anything he couldn't do… Then the Tower decided to be uncooperative, trying to shake itself apart.
Impudent, worthless little piece of stone, daring to shake them from their reverie! If the Tower was capable of even the barest conscious thought, it would have balked at the sheer ferocity of their rage. How dare that worthless Tower decide to fall to pieces just when their power felt so… complete?
And then they were interrupted, again. And yet, this one set an odd buzzing at the back of their mind, like an itch they hadn't realized they wanted so desperately to scratch. Whispering, mumbling in their ear and addling their mind… A voice?
But who would dare speak to one such as them, when they were already plotting sweet, sweet annihilation for this crumbling crystal ruin?
The nerve - the sheer audacity! When they discovered the source they would-
What the hell am I thinking? Naruto wondered, his consciousness eclipsing those thoughts. Where am I? Why can't I…
That worthless Tower! Those thoughts hissed from everywhere – and nowhere?
There's nothing here… The Tower? He jerked in surprise, or would have if he had a body. Strangely, he could tell that his mind and body weren't together at the moment. He was formless, simply existing in some strange void, with nothing at all as reference. Nothing but his thoughts.
The Tower! Jellal, and Erza! I swear, when I figure out what's happening I'll… I'll…
Utter annihilation awaits any that dare imprison one such as us!
Ugh. Naruto could imagine clutching his head in his hands as those thoughts thundered from – where? What the heck is that? And earlier… what was that voice earlier?
"Heavenly Body Magic!" Another voice – Jellal! – crowed, and pain lanced from somewhere – everywhere!
And now he could see again!
Jellal – PRETENTIOUS INSECT – was releasing a sphere, black as the void that had just been his whole world, and flecked with white, like stars in the night sky. It was… hauntingly beautiful, Naruto decided.
It was also heading straight for Erza and Natsu. And judging by the way it tore apart the Tower floor as it went, it definitely wasn't something he could allow to hit.
No-no-no-no! What am I supposed to do? He was thankful for his lack of a body, or he would have torn at his hair in despair. That'll kill them for sure!
Without warning, Simon stood as a guardian before the attack and Naruto knew without a doubt that if he didn't act, his old friend would die.
Simon!? NO! Damn you Jellal, if could get ahold of you right now I would – WE WILL PUT YOU IN YOUR PLACE, YOU MONGREL!
The thoughts took hold of him, and he would have called what happened next an out-of-body experience if he felt like being ironic. Instead he simply demanded Jellal pay, and with the barest thought and a flicker of magic, Jellal found himself the victim of his own attack.
One such as you… you are not worthy of the gifts you possess, Black Wizard's thrall. Perhaps we should use this Tower's paltry stores of Ethernano to craft ourselves a worthy vessel, and express our displeasure personally, you insignificant little – Gah! What the hell? Wha- who the? How did they switch places? Who are you?! Naruto demanded, wrenching back control from them.
Silence greeted him, and his attention was quickly diverted to the three remaining wizards who were clearly as confused by the situation as him.
"No way! Simon and Jellal were really Jellal and Simon?!"
Right… some more confused than others.
A slight pressure settled in the back of his mind, and his voice began to echo from every corner of the crumbling cavern, words pouring from his mind without his consent.
You will thank us for this later. Given that you survive, that is.
Everything after that was blur of action to Naruto.
He watched as 'his' body formed out of light and talked with the others using words that weren't his own, and he wanted so badly to scream when 'he' promised Erza he would be right behind them once they departed. The Tower was going to self-destruct, no two ways about it. He hated seeing Erza being lied to, especially from his own mouth and yet… the farther they were from this place when it did go off, the better.
Even with the thoughts in control of his pseudo body, he couldn't stop the tears that threatened to pour down his face.
Quit your damnable blubbering! They hissed, shocking him into obedience. We have had enough of this. And with a snap of 'his' fingers, Erza, Simon, Natsu and Jellal were gone. Unable to react to their disappearance, his body suddenly dissolved before his eyes and he found himself lying on the ground, his mind back in his own body.
He managed to force himself to stand, his legs managing to pull a passable imitation of jelly and concrete at the same time. He gazed warily at the remains of the Tower around him. To call it a total wreck would be generous.
"Damn, Natsu. You have gotten stronger…" He mumbled appreciatively. A rather sizable chunk of the ceiling came crashing down about two meters away from him. Considering the preceding events of the day, he didn't even deign to be annoyed at it. "Still definitely lacking in the 'finesse' department." He murmured fondly.
Are you done?
Naruto blinked owlishly in surprise. "Oh… well, crap. And here I thought you might be, uh, you know…"
A different kind of voice in your head? No such luck.
"Who are you then?" He whispered. "And what have you done with the Biju?"
Oh, grown on you a bit, have they? Fear not, destructive one. They're in here… somewhere.
The blonde growled weakly. "I'm starting to get annoyed at you…"
His head throbbed lightly in time with their voice chuckling in his head. And what do you plan on doing about it? Will you make your way in here and face us on a field of our own choosing? Many, many things you are… but an idiot has yet to be added to the list.
"… So, what do you want, then? And what was with all of those things you were saying earlier?"
They were silent for a short time, and finally spoke again just as Naruto began feel oppressed by the sudden quiet.
We wish for your survival. Clearly you need all the aid we can render. As for our identity, it… confuses us to say that we are unaware. We simply exist. And in regards to our words earlier… well, we cannot be held responsible for our actions in the heat of the moment. It has been a very short time since we came to be after all.
"Right… I'll, uh. I'll pretend I understand what you're saying." He grumbled lowly. Even with them being forthcoming, he still knew next to nothing. "So, anyways. What's the plan for getting out of this Tower before it goes 'kaput?'?"
Hrm. In regards to our exit strategy… They trailed off in a worrying manner.
"Eh? Why don't I like the sound of this?"
Without any sort of warning, no shuddering or creaking, or anything else of the sort, the Tower glowed as brightly as the sun, and seemingly just as hot.
"Welp." He managed to choke out in spite of the heat as the explosion engulfed his body. "I was right. I don't like this." And the oppressive light faded to black.
. . .
After what seemed like an eternity, Naruto managed to force his eyes open – though he'd be hard pressed to recall when he had closed them in the first place. The sight that greeted him was mildly confusing. The blonde also found it to be very annoying.
"I guess I'm gonna need to cut back on my sleep if it's gonna become a habit for me to wake up nowhere." He groused to himself. Much like when he had awoken inside the Tower, Naruto seemed to be simply floating in the middle of nothing, with nothing stretching on for as far as his eyes could follow.
Unlike when he had woken up in the Tower, his surroundings were much brighter, soothing even. He was even to tempted to say he felt…
"Oh. Uh-oh." He acknowledged the fact that his being at peace could mean that he was literally at peace, but… "Erza-nee is gonna kill me if I died." He shuddered; he could already see the swords flying at him.
Well, well. That is quite the predicament you've found yourself in.
… The feeling of peace was gone now.
"Guess I'm not that dead after all if you're still here, scary voice." He didn't bother keeping his response silent. It wasn't as if anyone were around to question the sanity of a young man talking to himself.
Indeed, we are still present within your mind, though we are unaware if that guarantees you are alive. We are bound to you. The bond may very well be of the… everlasting variety…
"… Great. Now instead of nine voices with varying degrees of ability to annoy me, I have one voice that can apparently take control of my body instead. I'm not even gonna talk about the fact that you are… a teensy bit bloodthirsty." Now that he was away from the Tower and all of the drama that had ensued within it, Naruto found that his current situation was definitely not ideal. And he didn't like that.
"Add to that, apparently the two of us are stuck together for all eternity if your guess is right, and judging by our surroundings, eternity is gonna be a long time coming. I think I'm going to die of boredom, if I'm not already dead."
Of course, the universe in all its glory decided to prove him wrong. No sooner had the words left his mouth, his surroundings melted away and were replaced by a cloudy sky, pouring rain. His gaze followed the waters path downward and he found himself floating well above a cemetery. One he knew quite well.
There wasn't an inch of ground that was left to be seen from his angle of view, since the entire area save for the graves was occupied by the members of Fairy Tail.
For a moment, just a moment, he thought that perhaps he was viewing events from the past he hadn't been present for after his departure from the guild. He had left before Lisanna's funeral, but he knew where she had been buried. Perhaps the universe was going to let him witness the important trials his friends had faced when he ran away two years ago.
He watched as Makarov stepped forward from the confines of the crowd – the only person he could identify in the sea of mourning black - and his heart ached to see his surrogate grandfather in so much pain. It was well known just how deeply he cared for the members of the guild. Naruto listened carefully as Makarov began to speak.
"Life…" The old man paused, swallowing roughly as he seemed to struggle to hold himself together. "Life, as we all know, can be cruel and unforgiving. The brightest flames… are often the ones that find themselves snuffed out far too soon. We are all well aware of the dangers of our chosen profession, but that awareness can in no way prepare us for the shock we feel when one of our loved ones is fated to never come home. Today, we are all gathered not to merely mourn the loss of one of our loved ones. We are here to celebrate their life, and the times they spent with us! To fondly look back on all of the times that their presence fanned our passions to ever greater heights!" He tried to shout, but it came out as more of a croak. Makarov pressed on anyways.
"Today, we are here to celebrate the days that we spent together, as a family. Because that is what they would want us to do in their stead! Not mope around, bawling our eyes out, asking the heavens why they chose to be so cruel!" He cried out, and many would have been hard-pressed to determine if he was asking a question or making a statement.
"They devoted their life to this guild, devoted their life to eternal adventure and fun! They devoted their life to protecting the people around them. That is why, on this sad day, we commemorate this grave marker to one of our own. To one who we hold dearly in our hearts, just as dearly as he held us in his." He grasped ahold of a tarp that Naruto hadn't noticed before and gave it a mighty heave. The crowd gasped, and Naruto stared at the revealed statue, dumbstruck, even as Makarov's words registered in his mind.
Just as dearly as he held us within his.
"The universe has a screwed up sense of humor…" He whispered, shell-shocked.
Indeed.
Far down below him, the newly uncovered statue was not the elegantly carved headstone he had seen at Lisanna's grave. Instead, it was a statue of him that depicted the one time he had managed to activate the second stage of Kurama's takeover.
His eyes were tightly shut in concentration, his lips quirked downwards at the corners. The marks tripling each side of his face were thicker, giving him a more fox-like appearance. Rather than his usual outfit, he wore a thick, richly decorated kimono with nine magatma sewn (carved in the case of the statue) into the back. Nine tails hung in the air over his head and shoulders, the tips nearly touching just above his clasped hands from which a faint light – a Lacrima, Naruto guessed - was shining. It was an undeniable work of art. However, its masterful presentation and craftsmanship weren't what caused the crowd to gasp.
The statue was unmistakably vandalized, covered from tail-to-toe in countless colors of paint.
Makarov nearly stumbled at the sight of it, and the look on his face could only be described as livid.
"Who would dare…?" He growled, his grief replaced by rage.
As if in answer, laughter echoed throughout the graveyard from above. Naruto's gaze shifted to his side and saw that someone was leaning from the side of the cathedral. His heart broke when he recognized the culprit.
Clad in an outfit matching the clothing he would wear on the more dangerous S-Class missions the two of them took together, her gorgeous red hair dyed blonde, and a paintbrush in hand, Erza stood unrepentant even as the guild recovered from their shock and stared with a mix of anguish and anger.
Oh no… Erza-nee, what happened to you?
"Erza!" Makarov roared, his skin rippling as he fought the urge to transform and throttle her for her actions. "How could you make a mockery of this day? I know how deeply you miss your brother, but the things you're doing-"
"Can it, gramps! All of you want to sit around and mourn over him, but we never even found his body! He's out there somewhere, and all of you are content to just sit around and cry!" She grasped at her chest, her clenched fist resting over her heart. "My brother is alive, but missing. So until he returns, I'm living his life at the guild for him!"
"NO!" Natsu's voice cracked through the air like whip, and the entire guild flinched before parting around him as he stormed to the front.
Natsu… He looked different. Wild and angry… And dangerous. And all of his anger was zeroed in on Erza.
"You aren't Naruto! He's gone, dammit! I don't need some cheap gimmick in his place, I want my brother back!" He roared, steam billowing from his body as the rain hissed and popped upon contact with his skin. "I'll be damned if I'm just gonna sit here and let you spit on his sacrifice, and his memory." His glare darkened, and even Makarov backed away from him in surprise at the hidden threat in his words.
No, guys don't fight…
"Get down here so I can knock some sense into you."
Before the situation could escalate further a massive wall of ice rose between the two, towering over the cathedral and effectively separating them. Atop the wall and glaring down on the two was Gray. Like everyone present, minus Erza, he was clad in black mourning attire. Fully clothed.
Gray has changed too.
While Gray had always been rather stoic and cold – unless dealing with Natsu – an odd fire was burning in his eyes as he glared down at Erza.
"You're crashing your own brother's funeral." He stated without a hint of emotion in his tone. "I suggest you go home and cool off Erza. I might empathize with what you're going through right now, but I won't hesitate to help Natsu knock some sense into you if this continues."
Erza, for her part, looked positively outraged that everyone around her seemed intent on ignoring the possibility that Naruto was still alive somewhere, in desperate need of their help. But she was outnumbered here, and she wanted so badly to just go home and cry herself to sleep again…
"… You're all a bunch of cowards!" She hissed even as her voice cracked. "Naruto is alive out there, I can feel it, you know! When I find him and bring him back home, I'll never forgive any of you for doubting me!"
And with that she was gone, back to her home in Fairy Hills, leaving the cemetery dead silent again until four members of the council stepped forward from the crowd awkwardly, looking decidedly put out by the turn of events.
"Erm," Councilman Org, a wizened old man with a decorative bird sat atop his head began speaking. "In light of this tragic event and his personal sacrifice in ensuring that the R System would not be activated, coupled with the betrayal of two of our council members, Era hereby declares Naruto Uzumaki as a member of the Ten Wizards Saints due to his valor and strength. The council also appoints him as a permanent honorary member of the council…" He trailed off into silence as his gaze roved the crowd to take in the numerous looks of sadness.
Dipping his head in shared grief, he turned back to face Makarov." The wishes of the council aside, I am very truly sorry for your loss, Master Makarov. I only met the boy in passing this past year, but I could tell that he was a mage like no other, with a heart of gold." He quieted again before holding out his hand to Makarov. "I wish your guild the best in the future, and I pray with all my heart that something like this never occurs again. Farewell, Master Makarov." His piece said, the four council members left the guild to mourn.
. . .
Lucy sat alone in her living room, leaning over her desk forlornly. Despite the fact that the funeral was today, she simply couldn't bring herself to attend. She didn't know what to do with herself. Not even during the war with Phantom had she felt so helpless and useless.
Naruto, one of the most powerful – and kindest – wizards she had ever met, was dead due to machinations of a Dark Mage. Erza, his surrogate sister, a woman she had thought was just as invincible as her brother, was completely broken from the loss. Natsu and Gray had completely cut off their bickering since the destruction of the Tower and spent every waking moment of the day training with each other.
Natsu said he wasn't strong enough to protect anyone and that as he was now, he didn't deserve to even look for Igneel, let alone see him again. Naruto's words to Natsu on the Tower about needing a thousand years before he could beat him had driven the Dragon Slayer over the edge after his demise, and he hardly ever stopped training anymore.
Gray had sworn on Naruto's grave that he would wipe out every creation of Zeref from existence. Naruto's death, coupled with the death of Gray's own teacher and family when he was a child had given him a new drive. A drive to become more powerful than any demon Zeref could have ever crafted.
As for Lucy herself… She was absolutely terrified. She had always told herself that she knew the risks of being a wizard; that she could handle anything the world threw at her. She hadn't expected the world to throw a sucker punch like Naruto's death in response to that belief.
How could someone so kind – if supremely annoying half the time – and strong just… die like he had? It wasn't fair! The world was cruel for taking Naruto away from the guild so soon after he had returned. It was cruel for what that loss had done to Natsu and Gray – she never thought she would see the two as serious as they were now.
But above all, the world was cruel for what it was doing to Erza.
It isn't right… We've already lost Naruto. I don't want to lose Erza too…
Even as the thought crossed her mind, her door slammed open without warning, nearly torn from its hinges. From outside strolled –
"Erza?" Lucy gasped in surprise. She had hardly seen a trace of the Requip mage since they had broken the news to the guild nearly a week ago, and she certainly looked different than Lucy remembered.
"Wha- what happened to you, Erza?"
Erza turned to face her, her gaze ominous and penetrating.
"Happened to me? What on Earthland are you talking about Lucy? There's not a thing in the world bothering me right now." Her words, calm and measured as always, were deeply offset by the way her body trembled as the words left her mouth.
Wordlessly, Erza collapsed into one of the chairs that were in the center of Lucy's room. She sat there for a few moments, gazing quietly into space while one of her hands toyed aimlessly with a few strands of her now-blonde hair.
At length, just when Lucy began to find the silence uncomfortable enough to break it, Erza spoke.
"Despite my brother's current status as missing-" She paused meaningfully, giving Lucy a measured look that practically dared her to disagree. "The Master is still set on continuing the plans for Fairy Tail's performance in the Fantasia Parade in Magnolia's Harvest Festival. During the day prior, namely tomorrow, the guild will be hosting a number of events for the amusement of its members. The Miss Fairy Tail Pageant, for example…" She trailed off into silence as she watched Lucy begin to gush in excitement over the thought of winning the contest – and the prize money.
"Erm," She stated in embarrassment after her outburst. "What about you Erza? Will you be participating?" A part of Lucy truly hoped that she would; something like that could very well be the first step Erza needed to take in recovering the loss of her brother. The other part, however, hoped that she wouldn't participate. Lucy doubted she would be able to stand against the popular S-Class mage.
Erza huffed irritably in response to the question.
"At first I was set on crashing the pageant in a spectacular display, involving several gallons of tar, a few dozen pounds of glitter, steel wire, and a few other choice items… Unfortunately, I couldn't find anyone willing to sell me two-hundred pounds of high grade fireworks on such short notice." She mumbled petulantly. "So, against my better judgement, I will be taking part in the festivities, along with the parade at the end. Besides, when Naru-nii comes homes, he'd be disappointed if I let his disappearance cause me to end my winning streak that I started back when we first joined the guild." She finished matter-of-factly.
Thank goodness. Lucy thought with a shudder. I'd rather lose the contest to her than be subjected to whatever that sadistic mind of hers had cooked up.
She frowned slightly at another thing Erza had said that seemed to be sticking in the back of her head.
How should I bring this up? I'll need to be subtle…
"Erza." Lucy said, catching the woman's attention. "What exactly is it that makes you so sure that Naruto is still alive, anyway?" The tumbled from her lips with all the tact and grace of Natsu ballroom dancing. On a moving train. And judging by the cracks forming on the edges of the coffee table where Erza's fist was clenched, she most certainly did not appreciate Lucy's concern.
"I'll see you tomorrow at the pageant, Lucy." She stated brusquely, rising to her feet woodenly before she fled from the room, slamming the door closed behind her.
Lucy cradled her head in her arms after she watched her friend's departure, and couldn't help breaking down in tears after she realized how cold and senseless her question must have come off.
"I'm so sorry Erza… I didn't mean it like that… I miss him too, you know?" She sobbed to herself.
Unseen by the two, after bearing witness to the drama that had unfolded, Naruto's spirit shook its head sadly before drifting from the room to find a quiet place to think before the pageant the following day.
"You know what, creepy voice? I think I liked it better when we were stuck nowhere."
The entity within his mind hummed in agreement, and the two fell into a companionable silence as they waited for the sun to set and rise the next day.
Unknown to either of them, they'd be bearing witness to much more than a mere beauty contest the following day. The Fairy Tail Battle Royale was on the horizon.
. . .
Meanwhile on the far side of Magnolia, near the Fairy Hills complex, Erza had an unexpected encounter with her old friend Simon who was returning from a summons from the Magic Council. After the destruction of the Tower and Naruto's death, Simon had taken it upon himself, along with Erza's accompaniment, to ensure that Jellal was taken into custody by the authorities.
Jellal was now in a secure Council facility, his exact whereabouts unknown by any single member of the Council. After the discovery that his supposed twin brother Siegrain, had in actuality been a Thought Projection of Jellal, the Council had essentially 'cleaned house' with several of the long standing members resigning in shame of their own short-sightedness.
The new council had the knowledge of the Dark Mage's location divided into coded coordinates that had to be decoded and triangulated to even come within twenty miles of the specially-made prison. From that point, any would-be jail-breakers would need guide to lead them through the treacherous terrain that led to said prison, not to mention the guards of the prison who were all capable wizards hand-picked by the council to ensure that the prisoners would be annihilated rather than risk their escape.
These measures, in the eyes of Erza, could have very easily been brushed aside. Unfortunately, the Council had ignored her demand that Jellal be put to death for his crimes, and the disappearance of her brother.
One of the less tactful Council Members had at that point stated that Jellal's death would not bring her own brother back to life. After handily throttling the man within an inch of his life, Erza had firmly stated that her brother was alive, this being the first instance of her belief.
So now, nearly a week after that particular fiasco, Simon found himself face-to-face with a very different Erza from the one that had left him to deal with the Council alone.
"Erza?" He gasped in surprise, his heart wrenching in his chest upon seeing her sorry state. "Wha-?"
"Simon." She cut him off sharply, a terrifying mix of her own malice and Naruto's borrowed mischief dancing in her eyes. "I promise, if you ask what happened to me, you will be in for a world of pain the likes of which even Master Makarov would shudder at the mere mention of. Okay?" She finished, her voice an impressive mix of sugary sweetness and venom.
Simon nodded mutely.
"I'm glad we understand each other." She whispered, more to herself. Her features morphed, and a smile crossed her face that Simon recalled seeing Naruto wear just before the Tower was destroyed. "So, how have you been?"
In the face of Erza's overwhelming sadness at the fact Naruto was 'missing' and her valiant effort to put on a brave face, Simon's felt his heart throb painfully in his chest.
I'm so sorry that you of all people would be going through this, Erza…
"Well." He said instead. "The Council has assured me that we'll never be bothered by Jellal ev-" He paused when he saw Erza's body stiffen with a hiss.
"Don't talk to me about him!" She growled, and from the wild, vulnerable look in her eyes, Simon felt himself shatter all over again as a cold truth settled over him.
He had received correspondence from Master Makarov during his time at Era, and had been kept up to date of the status of all of the guild members that had been present at the Tower. That included Erza's brazen refusal to believe that Naruto wasn't going to come barging into the guild hall any day now. But after seeing that look in her usually kind and strong eyes, he saw something that only a person that had known as a child would recognize.
Erza was well aware that Naruto was dead. The very fiber of her being simply couldn't compute that knowledge, and therefore her mind refuted it.
"Right, of course. That was insensitive of me." He gestured placatingly at her with both arms, smiling sadly. She didn't seem to recognize the nature of his smile, because she smiled right back at him, happy for the change of subject.
"As I said, I've been well. The Council actually offered me a positon as an apprentice to one of the Councilor's that was present at the, um, guild gathering today. Councilman Org, although I don't know if you'd recognize his name."
Erza nodded happily at his success in making his way in the world after his hard life at the Tower. Finally, someone I can talk to that won't badger me about Naruto. I knew I could count on you, Simon.
Simon, unaware of her thoughts, was simply thankful that she hadn't seemed to notice his near slip about the funeral.
"That's wonderful news!" She chirped, a small sliver of her old self shining through her depression-fueled façade. "I'm very happy for you. When will you begin working with them?"
"I'll be leaving shortly after the Harvest Festival. Wouldn't want to miss you winning the Miss Fairy Tail competition after all. From what the rumor mill around the guild said, you've got a winning streak to continue." He said good-naturedly.
Her smile became slightly forced at the thought of having fun right now, but Simon didn't seem to notice, or didn't mind. I doubt he means anything by it, but I just can't even wrap my mind around the idea of celebrating much of anything right now…
"Well I had a wonderful time talking with you Simon." She said awkwardly, and before he knew what was happening she had engulfed him in a brief hug. Before he could react, she was already halfway down the street towards Fairy Hills. "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Simon! Thank you for talking with me!" Thanks for treating me like normal. Went the unspoken message.
Simon smiled dumbly as he watched her leave, unsure of how to react to the flurry of emotions in his chest at the brief display of affection.
Chill out, you fool. All friends hug. And right now, all Erza needs is my friendship and support.
Still, Simon couldn't quite shake the feeling that he honestly didn't know what exactly he had done to make Erza hug him. Ah well, no use mulling it over. And no use complaining about it either… He thought with a dreamy smile. I'm probably reading too much into anyways…
. . .