It felt strange, trying to keep something from Zeref for a change. Usually, it was the black wizard hiding things from him, not the other way around. Gray still didn't even know if it was the right choice to make, either. After all, what right did he have to ask Zeref to trust them if he couldn't trust him in return? At least before when he asked for Zeref's help, he'd been justified in saying they could work together. Now, it felt almost deceitful, lying to someone he considered a friend.

He was walking through Magnolia, not really with a destination in mind. People passed him by and Gray didn't even give them a glance. He needed to clear his head, to think about everything he'd just been told for a change. Really, it shouldn't change much. Zeref was still cursed and they still only had a vague path to actually move forward on to make a difference. All that was different was that Gray supposedly knew a god. He still didn't know if Sora could be believed or not, but there were enough oddities about her that he couldn't help but think there was at least something strange about her. Even if she was lying somehow, he couldn't think of a way for anyone to benefit from just reviving some old religion.

Maybe she was trying to create some cult-like group of fanatics? Zeref certainly gained a few of those and he wasn't even calling himself a god to do so. Yet, what goal would that accomplish? Ending god slaying magic, which hardly even existed as more than a rumor? Making sky magic in general more popular? Sora just didn't seem like the type to have a strong goal that would be associated with her at all, not like that.

All of that only made him more certain that she spoke the truth, at least in some form. For whatever reason, she was weak if she wasn't worshipped as a god. Whether that meant she actually got power from worshippers, or if that meant she'd abuse her followers, Gray didn't know. So, the question remained of if he trusted her enough to actually give her that sort of strength.

Before, he'd already been certain she needed some form of help. He'd agreed to fight Acnologia with the slim chance of getting a clue about Zeref's curse. This just wasn't the clue he was expecting, or the advice he'd wanted to hear. Sora implied she'd help, but that relied on him actually moving forward first. Really, it all circled back and left him with few options, just like when he first started this mission to help Zeref. Much like before, the risks were too great to just ignore the benefits of helping someone who might turn out to be an enemy.

Shaking his head, Gray shoved his hands into his pockets. Right now, he was hoping to run into Ur, or maybe even Lyon. He needed advice and he could trust them to be able to keep things away from Zeref. After all, they had no qualms about distrusting the black wizard. They weren't like Gray, trying to understand the man. Hell, neither of them even understood why he related so well to Zeref personally. Oddly enough, that sense of being similar to Zeref hadn't faded at all and was only making him wonder if he was finally starting to get Zeref's secretive side as well with this mess. What was he even getting himself into now?

"There you are." Gray paused, hearing the last voice he wanted to find right now. Zeref kept his distance, smiling faintly as he noticed Gray walking in the street. "I was concerned with how long it was taking to discuss things…though it appears as if you did not even manage to catch Sora in the first place."

Gray couldn't meet his eyes. Instead, he just stared at his feet, frowning at the ground. "She's fast. I figured that much out when she tried chasing me down for my mother's necklace." He hadn't even gotten answers as to why the hell a — she'd want it. Glancing over at Zeref, he realized he would have to screen even his thoughts to keep everything hidden, just like Zeref did. How did Zeref manage to do that anyway?

Centuries of practice, as I've explained before. Gray flinched, looking over to see Zeref's smile had faded. "You did encounter her and speak with her, I suppose." Gray swallowed, uncertain of what to say. Zeref knew he was keeping secrets, yet oddly, he felt the black wizard almost pull away from his mind. "My assurances of keeping her secrets were not for nothing, Gray. If your conversation is on your mind, I will try to leave your thoughts alone and respect her privacy. However…I find it odd that you did not return and that you are alone."

"She…gave me a lot to think about." He rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. "I'm not really certain how you'd react to it, to be honest."

"She trusted you enough to reveal her secrets to you?" Gray wasn't certain if she was honest about it or not, but for now, he had chosen to give her the benefit of the doubt. "A stranger?" He nodded and Zeref's brow furrowed. "Sora did not seem to be the impulsive sort, nor did she seem willing to disclose her knowledge so easily. What did you do to gain such trust, Gray? How did she manipulate you into thinking it was necessary to do so?"

His tone was dark, almost threatening with those words. Yet, Zeref still did not pry into his mind, staying true to his word. Gray was starting to see just how far Zeref would go to keep his word, though he was still willing to find a way around it to gain the answers he wanted. "I…agreed to help her with something." He looked away. Zeref wouldn't want the answer to exactly what he'd agreed to do, not after everything he'd heard. "Sora knows about you and your curse, Zeref. Given where we're at with our own research, don't you think we needed some other hint on where to go?"

"And you think it is worth it, to put your trust in a stranger you know nothing about?" Zeref shook his head, letting out a sigh. "I may have claimed she was fascinating, but that by no means says anything about her character, Gray. Even you seemed wary of her and based on her strange knowledge, I'd almost say she is dangerous, despite her lack of magic. So, what makes you think it is worth turning to someone like her for answers to the curse? Agreeing to owe her a favor in the distant future, even?"

"Is it any different from agreeing to help someone with your history, Zeref?" Gray met his gaze, folding his arms over his chest. "People make mistakes all the time and it isn't like everyone is good at dealing with others. Maybe I am making a mistake to trust her, but I'd rather have something to go off of, rather than running around in circles trying to find a clue about a curse no one has even heard of right now." Zeref looked away, closing his eyes. "And my favor towards her isn't as vague as you think. I know exactly what she wants me to do, along with knowing exactly what I have to do next to prove if she is honest or not about her claims."

"And what exactly is going to grant you that proof?"

Gray met Zeref's gaze, still uncertain of quite how to succeed, but still aware of the goal. "Revive the old religion that died out before you were even born. If she's telling the truth, she should be able to prove herself once people start believing in the old gods again."

"And if her words prove to be a lie?"

"Then we find something else and she hasn't upheld her own side of the deal," Gray said. Zeref stared at him calmly, tilting his head at Gray. The anger seemed to have faded and he was considering Gray's words. "I'm not that reckless, Zeref, and you know I'm not impulsive enough to jump into something like this without thought. If Sora is lying, there's no reason for me to uphold my side of the agreement either."

"Gray…what exactly did Sora ask you to do?"

"Doesn't matter."

Zeref met his gaze, frowning faintly. "You haven't hidden things like this from me before. Am…do you not trust me, Gray? I…I understand I'm not quite stable, but I…I am putting forth an effort to value life. Surely, that much should show that I wouldn't…harm Sora, for this agreement? You willingly agreed to help, so I cannot…blame her for your choice."

Gray's hands dropped to his sides. They had been making progress, a lot of it too. Would this destroy that? Zeref was opening up to Gray and to no one else thus far. However, keeping secrets like this, it would start creating a rift between them. Gray personally knew what sort of barrier hiding things created amongst friends. He'd lived through those sorts of friendships while growing up in Fairy Tail, hiding away his past. Only Master had known about his history and he'd tried hard to keep it that way. Yet, carrying that alone gave him his own burdens, not only being misunderstood when he rashly got angry with others, but also laughed at for his habits and teased for looking 'cute' when he was angry. No one knew why he was angry and no one saw the pain he kept hidden. That put a rift between himself and the guild from the very start, one that took years for Fairy Tail to break down before he started seeing that maybe he could form friendships, despite his secrets.

Still, those friendships had their own burdens. He failed to understand others because he focused too much on his own problems, seeing them as his responsibility to deal with. He insulted Erza, not respecting that she had her own sorrow to carry from her own past. He fought with Natsu, hating the boy for being so careless and whining about his missing father, when he should've been grateful to know that at least Igneel was alive, wherever he was. Mira's constant smiles just reminded him of the joy he'd lost, but eventually, he'd started seeing all of it as a constant in his life, as something he could live with and just ignore the pain from.

By the time he'd met Zeref, Gray had moved on. He'd been ready to let go of that past and move forward, meaning Zeref met Gray at a point when he wasn't hiding things. Did he really want a rift like that between them? Between him and someone who cared for him as much as Zeref did? "This…isn't about trust." Gray finally spoke, looking away. "Sora's secrets aren't mine to tell, just like I won't share your secrets with the rest of the team."

"Does the task she gave you relate to her secrets? Is…is there a way to even be vague enough about it to keep them hidden?" Zeref hesitated. "I do not wish to pry, Gray, but…if Sora is as similar to me as she seems, I fear for what she has in mind. I know from experience what sort of plans you could be involved in, Gray, and I've been working to ensure that those plans no longer move forward. Agreeing to yet another one, however…that places you at a risk that I do not know if I can defend you from."

"I…can't explain why." Zeref nodded and Gray ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes. "To be honest, I don't even know if I can succeed. I told Sora that myself, but she didn't seem to care, insisting that I'd probably make it possible for—never mind." He couldn't share that much, not without revealing her secrets. Zeref smiled faintly, tilting his head but staying quiet. "She asked me to stop Acnologia." The smile vanished and Zeref stilled. Those dark eyes locked on Gray, not moving and his expression was eerily blank. "Apparently, Sora watched as his seal was broken, wherever he was at the time. I can't exactly say more about it, but—"

"She's sending you after Acnologia?" Zeref stepped forward, seeming to snap out of his daze. "Gray, even I haven't come up with a feasible method for stopping him. All I have is the slim hope that incredibly weakened dragons will be capable of stopping him and even then, getting them to all gather at once is practically impossible with the malfunctioning of the gate! Not even my curse would be enough, because how could anyone value the existence of a being like him?"

That was the most he'd ever heard about Zeref's plans and the man still seemed to be rambling on. "You aren't facing Acnologia, Gray. It isn't happening. All you'll gain is your own demise and the demise of anyone else helping you with the task. I'll deal with Sora and whatever she has to say about backing out of your arrangement…I won't—"

"You aren't saying you're gonna hurt Sora, are you? You promised to leave her alone!" From behind Zeref, a child-like voice spoke. The black wizard turned around, seeing Sherria glaring at him with her cheeks puffed out and her arms crossed over her chest. Shifting her weight slightly, Sora stood further back, raising her eyebrows at Gray. "If she and Gray made a promise to each other, they have to keep it. Friends don't break their promises to each other, Zeref, that's how things work."

"Friends don't send each other to their deaths either." Zeref gazed at Sora, narrowing his eyes. "I don't know what you are intending on doing, but Gray is not the answer to the problem involving Acnologia."

"Considering he's found a way to awaken that talisman, I'd say he's more than capable." Sora glanced over at Gray. "I'd ask how you managed it, but I imagine you're clueless about how anyway."

Zeref frowned, glancing over at Gray and narrowing his eyes at the necklace around his neck. The frown lingered as he studied it, before he glanced over at Sora. "Strange…it had no energy like this before, but now faintly…it is almost akin to Etherion." Sora didn't respond, glaring back at him. "Regardless, accidentally accomplishing a feat you find impressive is hardly something to claim as a demonstration of his ability."

Shaking her head, Sora walked over to Gray. This time, she moved too fast for him to stop her from unclasping the chain and taking the necklace for herself. She placed it around her neck, standing still for a moment, before smiling faintly and taking off in a sprint. Zeref blinked in surprise as Sora tackled him to the ground, pinning him to the sidewalk suddenly. "Sora! Zeref is just being mean, you don't have to attack him over it…" Sherria trailed off, while Sora calmly gazed into Zeref's eyes.

"Have you determined exactly what this necklace does yet, Zeref?"

The man watched her, frowning faintly. "Protection? Yet…its ability to absorb energy must have a limit of some form." He glanced at it, sensing the energy flowing into the pendent. Gray had no idea what was going on, but Sora backed away, instead turning towards the ground where small weeds were growing between the cracks.

"More than just that, black wizard." Sora inhaled slowly, closing her eyes and touching the small sword pendent. After a moment, familiar black wisps of magic began to emerge from its hilt, streaming towards the ground. The weeds wilted and died, while Zeref stared at her with wide eyes. "Absorption, amplification, and application. This necklace was created to defend a rare and valuable magic…and it does not belong in the hands of wizards like you." She turned towards Gray, sighing and holding it back out towards him. "For now, it remains with him until our deal is complete. I can't imagine him having even a chance of success if he can't at least match Acnologia's magic absorption abilities."

"That merely puts them on even ground in terms of magic. It does nothing against physical attacks."

"And that is where the rest of our agreement comes into play." Sora glanced over at Gray. "We are dealing with your curse first, black wizard, and in doing so, you'll be gaining allies to help in that battle. I don't know how much Gray shared with you, but—"

"He keeps the secrets of others, unlike you it seems." Sora said nothing and Zeref rose to his feet. The black wizard met her gaze, frowning and studying her. "All I know is that he wishes to test the truth of your words, through the revival of ancient mythology. Exactly what that will prove, however, remains unclear."

The blue haired girl nodded, glancing over at Sherria. "I understand you had something in mind, Gray, but with Zeref knowing this much…I think it might be easier to rely on his connections instead." Gray frowned, while Zeref narrowed his eyes. "Don't you think it'd be rather easy to accomplish our goals if an entire empire suddenly converted to a new religion? I imagine they'd all be more than happy to follow such a thing, if their emperor advocated for it."

"Why am I not surprised that you know of that as well?" Zeref sighed, shaking his head. "I will contact August and start the process of instituting a national religion, I suppose. Though, results aren't exactly going to be instant, you know."

"Religion?" Sherria frowned. "Sora, are you trying to get others to worship your god or something? Sherry says it isn't nice to force others to follow your beliefs! She said that isn't the way true love works, not at all."

"Gods, actually." Sora sighed, shaking her head. "And it is more than just a belief system." She glanced over at Zeref, meeting his gaze. "In fact, helping out with this just might be the better option, considering what comes next. I can't exactly say I'm looking forward to that conversation, but at least now I might have some sort of logic to use."

"To use for what?"

"For persuading Ankhseram." Zeref froze, staring at Sora who tilted her head. "What, did you think I know so much about you for nothing? You aren't the only one with connections to the gods, Zeref."

"I'm not helping someone who forced me to live through this—"

"Well, if you don't, you'll just live with it for longer." Sora folded her hands behind her back. "I already told Gray this and now I'm telling you because our agreement dictates I help end your curse, Zeref. As things currently stand, there is no power at all that can remove it, and also no power that can surpass its strength. That power alone resides with Ankhseram, so if you want it removed—"

"There are no options beyond appealing to the gods." Zeref glanced over at Gray, frowning. "This was why you thought I'd dislike your next course of action, isn't it? Because it relied on something as pointless as hoping the gods observe our actions."

"Basically." Gray glanced over at Sora, folding his arms over his chest. "There's a bit more to it than that, though."

"Gaining them religious followers will be simple. Dimaria has all the details and August knows the legislative process to make it official." He glanced over at Sora, frowning once more. "And I take it once this is done, you'll somehow know how to contact Ankhseram yourself?"

"Ankhseram will likely contact me, in all honesty." Sora shrugged. "She's been kinda quiet lately, meaning things are worse than we thought. Plus…they're likely going to be angry with me." Her gaze flickered towards Sherria, before she sighed and shook her head. "But, that's not your problem to deal with."

"You don't seem cursed like me…exactly what other sort of punishments do they give when angered?"

"Oh, I won't be cursed; gods' curses aren't usually designed to affect other gods, you know." Zeref stared at her, as Sora smirked and shook her head. "Anyway, I'll leave you to get in contact with Alvarez, Emperor Spriggan. Good luck and trust me, I'll know once things are really moving along."

She began walking off, with Sherria following close behind. The child seemed to be in awe of Sora's proclamation about being a god, but Zeref still stared after her in silence. Once they were a ways away, he glanced over at Gray. "She claims…to be a god?"

Gray nodded. "The one that made Sherria a god slayer, actually."

"That…I suppose that explains one thing." Zeref still frowned, before sighing and rubbing his forehead. "I have a feeling this might take a while. We should find a place to stay while we wait for the policy to spread…something to occupy our time, at the very least."

Gray shrugged, uncertain of what to do. However, he had a feeling that Zeref was right. Religions didn't just re-emerge overnight and this one seemed to be growing in a nation they weren't even close to. Sora had mentioned Alvarez, an empire huge enough that even Gray knew of its strength. Fiore had been a tense relationship with them from what he'd heard recently and no one knew a thing about their leader unless they lived in that country. Somehow, it was almost fitting that Zeref was that emperor. Both the black wizard and Emperor Spriggan were notably mysterious and powerful individuals that no one could ever hope to understand.

"So, how much time do you think we have to waste until getting in contact with Sora again?" Gray was walking back with Zeref after the conversation with Sora. It seemed as if the self-proclaimed god had forgotten to leave them a way to contact her, so he'd be hoping she worked at the same shop when she was needed again for something.

Zeref shrugged. "Construction takes time and a belief system isn't easy to instill into others, especially without a method and location for them to actually begin learning of the new system." He paused, tilting his head. "I'd estimate approximately three months for the construction of the first temples to be complete. From there, word will have already begun to spread about the national decree of an official religion for the empire…however, becoming aware will only establish a following out of a fraction of the nation. Alvarez is an empire focused on military, not religion, so it will seem like a strange policy to make, despite their loyalty and opinion of me."

He'd heard that much. Gray sighed, looking away. "So, about a year then?"

"Perhaps. Half a year, at the very least. And that is just for the initial start of gaining followers of the religion."

How were they supposed to just waste time for so long? Sure, Gray could go back to the guild and just take jobs like he used to until then, but it seemed strange to do something like that while working on some other task. Plus, Zeref didn't seem to be making any moves to leave either. "Are you still angry or something then?" Gray asked. The black wizard turned towards him, tilting his head. "I mean, this was exactly the sort of plan you didn't want to follow. Even I'm not so sure of going through with it myself, but to be honest, I'm out of ideas, Zeref. I've been thinking about it ever since that Crow guy turned out to be pointless to find and I still have nothing." Gray ran a hand through his hair, one hand shoved into his pocket. "If Sora actually is a god, shouldn't she actually know a thing or two about how to deal with a curse from another one of them?"

For a moment, there was a pause as they just kept walking. Then, Zeref sighed and shook his head. "There was never actual anger towards you for this, Gray. Perhaps irritation…but it isn't as if I can't see the reasons behind your choice." He paused, frowning. "In theory, your logic is sound. Theoretically, other gods also give curses to people, despite being just as obscure as my own. However, what disturbs me is the irrationality behind everything Sora claims needs to be done to move forward. Magic may seem…unpredictable, in a way, but even it follows certain rules and guidelines that can be boiled down to its own set of principles. Wizards gather ethernano for fuel and convert those particles into energy that is then transformed into magic. The form of that magic is directed by a combination of emotion, will, thought, and various combinations of magic circles and runic writing. Demons follow similar principles for curse power too…yet this? Sora is claiming a form of magic that holds no basis for energy. Simply believing in the existence of something is the fuel, yet does belief actually create anything other than a change of mindset? Does it alter others when one person changes how they think?"

Gray blinked at him, uncertain of what to say to that. "I hadn't exactly thought that deeply about it, I guess." He paused, glancing away. "Part of me was still processing her claim about being a god, but you're right. It doesn't make much sense for any form of magic to work like that." He didn't even know much about the technical aspects of magic, yet Zeref's comments made far too much sense. Magic had rules to follow and it always needed some form of energy. He didn't think a god could just break those rules.

"That is understandable. Most people aren't quite as interested about…theorizing on such matters as I am." Zeref paused. "Magic itself has is oddly fascinating to me, however, so attempting to obtain a functioning knowledge base on such matters is typical for me. That is what makes it so easy for me to find and see the flaws in her comments, and what makes me almost certain we'll see some measure of failure from this task, or some level of deception to hide how Sora truly obtains some form of magic when we meet once more."

Still, it didn't seem like they'd find answers just talking about it either. "Probably." Gray shrugged, walking inside of the inn and waiting for Zeref to follow before continuing. "Until then, got any ideas on what to work on instead? I mean, I could always go back to Fairy Tail and get some work done while we wait, but that sorta feels like breaking my side of the deal to keep reminding you about valuing life."

Tilting his head, Zeref smiled faintly. "Do you not wish to separate from me? It seems as if you are more strongly attached to me than I thought."

"Hey! I didn't say anything like that." Gray glared at him.

Zeref chuckled, walking on ahead. "Oh? Well, you just implied you did not wish to separate while we waited, so my assumption seemed quite reasonable." There was almost a taunting lilt to his voice, a tone that matched the way Zeref spoke when he insisted on destroying the moon or something equally ridiculous. Clearly, he wasn't serious, but it wasn't exactly the sort of teasing Gray was used to hearing from anyone, other than Mira when she was trying to get two guild members to start dating.

"You're the one making weird interpretations of what I say."

"And what other interpretation is there? Please, enlighten me on what was so inaccurate about my reasoning."

Gray paused, frowning. Then, he sighed and shook his head. "Just shut up if you're gonna be like that." Zeref chuckled again and Gray had to question exactly what was keeping him so light-hearted. He'd flipped so suddenly, when he'd seemed to be so angry earlier.

"Well, all things considered, I did seem to receive some information today from Sora." Zeref nodded towards Gray, his eyes glancing down towards his pendant. "There is a way to defend others from this curse…or at least, there appears to be a method. If I can devise the logic of the magic around your necklace, I can in theory recreate it, even if her plan of appealing to Ankhseram is nothing but a lie." He paused, his smile becoming more faint and less teasing. "Also…I cannot help but look forward to…spending more time like this, I suppose."

Gray felt a faint throb in Zeref's head, likely the reason for his last pause in that comment. Maybe there was more to that teasing than he'd thought before, which made heat rush to Gray's cheeks. It was easy to forget that Zeref didn't exactly see him in a friendly light right now, not with how the black wizard kept his distance. It wasn't like Zeref was the flirty type either, so verbally there were few hints either. Still, maybe Gray was being a bit too forgetful about that and implying he'd come up with more of an answer than he already had.

"Well, that still doesn't answer what we're gonna be doing." Gray wasn't certain exactly how to reply, yet Zeref didn't seem to expect much of a response either. That guy wasn't kidding about having some crazy high levels of patience. Any person that'd asked him out in the past seemed to demand an answer in minutes. Otherwise, they'd just move on.

Being immortal and isolated from the world does result in strange…perspectives, I suppose. As I've told you before, I rarely can put forth a logic or motive behind me suddenly developing…attachments. Truthfully, I am aware of how foolish they are and everything says I should just avoid them…yet it is still human nature to be drawn towards others and I suppose I've retained enough humanity for that much, in a way.

Gray snorted, shaking his head. "Thanks. Glad to know you make friends because of such meaningful connections." Still, he was smirking at Zeref, despite his sarcasm. It wasn't Zeref's fault that he couldn't take time to contemplate his reasons, so Gray couldn't exactly demand that sort of explanation either. "And I think you're still avoiding the main topic."

With a sigh, Zeref shook his head and walked into their room. "That seems like a discussion that I am inadequately prepared for." What was that supposed to mean? Still, he stayed close to the door, focusing inside of the room. Erza was still there, though it seemed like Lucy and Natsu had left. Instead, Ur seemed to be waiting, sitting down with the scarlet haired wizard. "My most common activity when bored is simple meditation." He paused, tilting his head. "In moments of extreme boredom…I suppose I decide to conquer entire empires."

Ur and Erza were watching them and the door shut behind Zeref. The black wizard seemed to have taken a spot in the corner of the room next to the door, letting Gray slip past to sit near Erza and give him some space. "Sorry to interrupt, but can I ask what you are discussing?" Erza frowned between them, her arms crossed over her chest. "Is it a date, perhaps? If so, I'd like to add my own suggestions, to make up for my previous lapse in observation. How could I miss the signs that my own comrade, who's been by my side since childhood, had fallen in love? Or that his interest for romance was only meant to be conveyed to other men? It is shameful for me to have—"

"Erza!" Gray interrupted her, his gaze shooting towards Ur. Yet, his former master was a bit unfocused, not listening to anyone. Her eyes were locked on the door and she wasn't reacting in any way. Sighing, Gray glanced over at the requip wizard. "Can you back off a bit? This has nothing to do with planning a, ah, date." Why hadn't he corrected her yet?

Because it is amusing to see her act like this? Gray shot Zeref a glare, but he couldn't exactly be too annoyed with the other wizard. He couldn't remember ever seeing Zeref in a good mood like this before and he didn't exactly want to make the guy mope around again.

"It is perfectly acceptable to have missed such indications. After all, given my circumstances, it isn't as if there were signs to see," Zeref said.

Why the hell are you encouraging her?

Didn't I just say she was amusing? Gray had to suppress the urge to groan at the black wizard's commentary.

Still, Erza seemed to take the verbal response very seriously. "Even so, I should have at least known to not attempt to set him up on a date with a female if his interests were in men. As a close friend of Gray's, I should know such preferences."

"Can we please talk about something else?" No one answered and Gray shook his head. "I'm not in the mood to talk about my…romantic interests." He didn't even know if he had any, to be honest. Still, it was something he had to think about eventually. Instead, he glanced over at Ur, frowning. "Ur, is everything alright?"

Hearing her name, the woman seemed to blink and glance over at him. "Sorry? Could you repeat that for me? I was thinking about something."

"I was just checking in on you. It isn't often that I see you spaced out like that."

The elder ice mage frowned, staring into her lap. "No, I guess it isn't usual for me." She was staring at her hands with a frown, before she sighed and looked back up. "Ultear…came here, not that long ago. She beat you guys back by just a few hours, really." They had gotten delayed at the train station, just barely missing the last one back. Gray had waited an extra hour or so for the next one to arrive and take them back to Magnolia. "I spent the day with her, tried talking reason to her and when all was done she just…left. I was honest. I couldn't just tell her that I'd been looking for her, when in reality, she was right. I abandoned her and gave up hope. When I told her that seeing her alive changed everything, she just seemed to grow more quiet. At first, she'd been angry and shouting, but that was when I think I started to scare her off."

Gray didn't know Ultear well at all. He'd had all of two, maybe three, conversations with her. Most of those had happened in the process of some sort of fight with her too. "When she stopped responding, exactly what was her expression?" Zeref spoke and Ur seemed to suddenly realize he was in the room as well. She straightened suddenly, blinking at him before narrowing her eyes and scowling.

"Oh, you came back too. Sorry, I'm not all that interested in sharing with you."

The black wizard sighed, shaking his head. "I am attempting to help, if you'd let me." Ur kept glaring at him. "In situations like this…I tend to be acceptable at predicting people. Detachment gives me a sort of neutral position from which to consider how people will behave. It is only once I am personally involved that my interpretations and assumptions seem to get skewed."

"Is that your way of saying you don't know how to act around other people?" Zeref shrugged and Ur snorted. "Well, I guess that's probably the closest I'll hear you get to it." Her frown remained, but her glare had softened. Gray could see her shoulders sagging and the way she was slouching over. Whatever had happened with Ultear, it was clearly still weighing on her heavily. "She hid her expression, so I don't think that'll help. Even if you could, it isn't like you can bring her back."

The black wizard was frowning, his gaze focusing on the far wall for a moment. Gray was avoiding his head right now, after catching a glimpse of exactly how he started thinking about Ultear. In his head, it was as if he was picturing the actions of a character in a novel and what that description would mean for a character with her background. He wasn't kidding about being very detached in his analysis and it wasn't the sort of mindset Gray wanted to see in him.

After a moment, Zeref turned back towards Ur. "I have…a few theories, then. If your daughter is truly cold and detached, someone with a ruthless heart who holds onto past grudges…then I'd assume anger fueled her to leave. That anger, after discussing things with you and after what I've overheard from her conversations with Gray, would drive her back to Grimoire Heart to complete her plans, however impossible they may be to accomplish."

"You're asking my to tell you what sort of person my daughter is after not seeing her since she was a child?" Ur looked ready to slap Zeref, but she seemed at least controlled enough to hold back.

"No. I am theorizing based on personality types that seem plausible from what I do know of her." Zeref shook his head. "She is a member of a dark guild, which typically requires some level of skill in disregarding morals. That, logically speaking, means it is quite possible she's become ruthless and heartless towards others. It is the sort of mindset that would have her feeling as if family means nothing, friendship means nothing, and that all that matters is getting her revenge for what she feels is an insult to her from her childhood."

"That is a dark opinion to hold of a stranger." Erza frowned at Zeref. "Is that how you normally view people you first meet?"

"Sometimes." Zeref didn't elaborate, focusing back on Ur. "Your next option is if she is the deceptive sort. Now, the exact details of this would then depend on other character traits, but to put it simply…her reaction could have been falsified to leave such an impression on you. She has shown an ability to act as someone else in the past and I would not put it past her to see some reason to maintain an attachment to yourself, potentially as a pawn, or potentially to maintain a familial relationship while continuing to pursue her work as a dark wizard."

"She wasn't pretending!" Ur glared at him. "Can you not show any sort of sympathy at all? I shouldn't have even asked for your opinion. This isn't exactly the sort of advice to give someone when they're worried that they've just pushed away the last of their family for good."

Something seemed to flash in Zeref's eyes at that. "Hopeful lies to ease your mind are far worse than brutal honesty. I assure you, this is not cruelty I'm offering you, merely a list of potential options." Gray could hear someone's voice echoing in Zeref's thoughts with his flash of anger. 'You'll see him again soon, I promise.' There was a flash of a woman with blond hair, someone he'd seen before. 'Trust me, this is for the best. He'll be a hero, the one who stopped Acnologia and saved the world, and one day, you'll be known for that too. Well, at least we'll try to give you some credit for the plan.'

"Zeref, you might have a point, but she isn't exactly in the mood to hear about how awful you think her daughter might be." Gray watched him and Zeref seemed to blink for a moment. "You can be honest without being cruel. Don't you have at least one option that doesn't paint Ultear in that sort of light?"

The black wizard frowned, before leaning against the wall. "I…suppose." He paused again, glancing over at Ur. "Guilt." The older woman frowned, meeting his gaze. Ur took a slow breath, her glare lessening faintly as she considered his comment.

"What? No explanation for this one?" She shook her head. "Everyone has things they feel guilty for. I wasn't even bringing up Grimoire Heart with her, so there was no reason for her reaction to be something like that, not so suddenly or so harshly."

"You explained everything to her?" Ur frowned, but nodded. "Then you informed her that in your mind, she was dead. Perhaps to you, you found an interpretation that said abandonment, but to a child who thought there was no reason for such actions? In a way, you may have informed her that she hadn't truly been abandoned, but that rather she'd been taken away."

"Wouldn't that improve her mood though? I mean, surprising her I get, but why guilt? She didn't do anything wrong!"

"Again, I cannot claim to know her well. The majority of time I spent with her, she was disguised as another and playing at deception." Zeref looked away. "Still…I also saw her conversations with Gray, heard her emotions through him. I am confident enough to say that her motivations for being involved in Grimoire Heart center around the idea that she was abandoned as a child. Despite what I've attempted to explain once before, I do not believe she had fully allowed herself to accept reality."

"Accept what reality?"

"That no matter how far she goes in her efforts to 'awaken' me, there is no such world in which her magic will grant her the ability to relive her life and have her mother back." Ur went quiet, stiffening at his words. Erza blinked at Zeref, while Gray looked away. "You've taken away the motivating force behind her actions, yet the memories of all that she did still remain. In essence…that conversation could have placed her into a mindset where she does not know how to move forward, or what to do next. She knows she needs to change, but not how, nor in what direction…and she is likely independent enough that she will not seek out others for guidance either."

Ur was quiet, not responding to him. Zeref glanced at Gray, however, raising his eyebrows. The young ice mage nodded, giving him a faint smile, before looking back at his former master. After a moment, she seemed to nod as well. "I see." She looked over at Zeref, frowning for a moment. "You talk like you understand what she's going through."

"If the last theory is correct…in a way, I suppose I do."

"Will…she be alright?"

Zeref didn't say anything at first, his smile fading. Gray was wondering if his light-hearted mood had vanished with this conversation, but he still turned back towards Ur with a faint smile. "Few people react as I do to such situations. Ultimately, where she ends up is her decision, but unlike with myself, she is capable of…separating from the source of her guilt." He paused. "And given time, everyone eventually sees that the only path anyone can take is forward, regardless of if forward is a pleasant path or not."

"Is that supposed to be saying she will move past this?" Erza frowned. "I'm not quite certain how to interpret that sort of comment, personally."

"It means it's up to Ultear to decide how she moves on from this and if she'll be okay with what she does." Gray looked over at Ur, giving his master a faint smile. "Don't worry so much about it, Ur. I may not know much about Ultear, but I do know that she managed to make at least one good friend while she was away." Mer hadn't been able to stop talking about Ul, after all. He chuckled at the thought, shaking his head. "So, how's Lyon doing?"

"Oh, I've kicked him out for a while. As much as I approve, there just is no way to separate him from Juvia right now and I can't exactly handle watching that sort of, ah, affection all the time."

"You probably only needed to evict Lyon, really," Zeref said. Ur frowned, while Zeref smiled. "He is dating his stalker, after all."

"I'd hardly call it stalking when he invites her along everywhere he goes." She sat up straighter and seemed to start deepening her voice in an attempt to mimic Lyon's tone. "'My sweet Juvia, I must go on an adventure to get the mail. Please join me!' 'Juvia, I cannot stand to leave your side for even a moment. Please do me the honor of walking with me to grab a glass of water from the kitchen.'" Gray laughed and soon, Erza and Ur began joining him.

"Okay, maybe I was exaggerating." Ur was back to her normal voice again. "But still, they are definitely ridiculous enough."

"I wish I could have seen them." Erza smiled, nodding. "Sadly, I personally have little experience in romance myself. Only recently did I go on my first date, trying to show Gray the joys of finding a partner as well, but unfortunately, I neglected to realize—"

"You took Gray on a date?" Ur interrupted and Gray found himself groaning and hanging his head forward. Laughter started to fill the room and Gray's eyes widened as he saw Zeref's shoulders shaking, smiling at the situation. He looked genuinely amused by all the misunderstandings around him and while Ur glared at him for the laughter, it did not seem to deter him.

When the laughter died down, Erza tried to continue on. "Yes, a double date along with two individuals we met out of town. Sadly, things did not go according to plan and the romantic atmosphere of our meal was ruined! I must redeem myself and try once more in the future, for both myself and for Gray!"

"Well, I say go for it. I mean, it's not like we have any other plans, right?" Ur looked over at Gray. "With you two back, I figure there was nothing to learn from the god slayer? Or are we moving on to something else with the plan?"

"Ur, I'm not actually—"

"Please don't." Zeref focused on Gray, still smiling. People can be so entertaining…I didn't even have to intervene to cause this one.

You do realize that this is all coming at my expense, right? And here I was thinking you cared about me.

Oh, I do. Zeref didn't even hesitate, though he winced as the curse retaliated just as quickly. There was a slight pause, before he continued. Don't friends normally tease each other? This did seem to be how Dimaria and Brandish behaved towards each other in Vistarion…they seemed like close friends as far as I could tell. I can't tell you how many pranks they pulled on each other, or the misunderstandings that emerged around them. Did I tell you the story about how Dimaria managed to convince Brandish that she'd lost control of her magic? That was quite the intricate scheme…ultimately, it ended when the matter was brought to me, but still entertaining to observe.

Maybe. I've lost track of how many obscure stories you've shared with me. Gray still sighed, shaking his head. But…fine. It's not like I care, I guess. At least it's better than her reaction would be if Erza really explained her perception about what happened.

Zeref smiled, seemingly overjoyed to have some source of amusement right now. It was surprisingly easy to keep him happy once he was in a good mood. Well, this is just extra. Do you have any idea how long it has been since I've had even a sliver of a chance at blocking the uncontrollable magic from my curse? To you, it may seem like a small thing, but that pendent is a much larger step forward than you realize. I haven't had a discovery like this in almost two centuries now.

That made a lot more sense. Still, Ur cleared her throat, catching his attention and making Gray remember that they had been asked a question. "Sorry. Got distracted again." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "The god slayer in Grimoire Heart wasn't of much use, but we sorta found another. Long story short, we're now waiting to see if our next plan shows some results or not. In the meantime, we need to figure out what to do and possibly make a back-up plan if it fails."

"My personal opinion for a back-up plan has been made somewhat obvious, I think."

"You want to research my necklace more?" Zeref nodded and Gray shrugged. "I mean, I guess it is probably the closest thing to an actual clue we have." He glanced down at it, running his fingers across the small sword. It wasn't even sharp, just a smoothed out piece of metal that was cool to the touch. "All I know is that it once belonged to my mother and I never once saw her actually wear it. I mean, I was young and probably can't remember everything, but I honestly can't even remember my mother wearing jewelry at all."

"Then its origins remain a mystery." Zeref leaned back, closing his eyes as he grew lost in thought once more.

"What exactly does your necklace have to do with our quest? I've seen you with it since you joined the guild and I've never sensed any sort of magic from it, nor have you used it during a job."

"Maybe it wasn't active then?" Gray shrugged, dropping the pendent. "I can't say I understand it exactly, but I just watched someone use it to literally absorb Zeref's magic and then control its use moments later. Somehow, it can actually defend against the death magic of his curse, sorta like Natsu's scarf, actually."

"Perhaps it is like the scarf, perhaps it is different." Zeref frowned, before his eyes widened. "Etherion." What the hell was going through his head? "It consists of all possible forms of magic and is highly unstable in its natural form. That's what made it so easy to manipulate for the R-System before…it wishes to take on a different form to become stable. Etherion adapts to spells around it, rather than the reverse, so when that tower was struck by an Etherion blast…"

"Some of the energy was used to activate the pendent?" Zeref nodded, smiling. "Damn, I've been hanging out with you way too much. I think I actually followed your explanation this time," Gray said with a sigh.

"Based on the fact that you finished my comment yourself, I'd agree that you followed it well. Though…that does not necessarily mean you've spent too much time with me, just that you've gained a deeper understanding of magic, really."

"No, it definitely means he spends too much time with you." Ur smirked at Zeref, relaxing a bit more herself. "Trust me, there isn't anyone else who babbles on about magic like that around here. If he's actually learning something about magic from that, he's definitely heard too many explanations like that."

"Are you…teasing me and not just insulting me?" Zeref was watching her and Ur looked away.

"Maybe." She paused, before letting out a huff of air. "Today's been a long day and to be honest, you really did manage to help out at the end." Zeref didn't answer, only watching as Ur met his gaze. "Maybe Gray was right not to hold your past against you so harshly."

"Thank you." Zeref nodded, before pausing and looking away. "And…sorry, I suppose. For how we first met." She blinked, looking startled. "I—" He broke off, another flash of his curse coming through. Zeref grimaced, touching his head this time as the pressure kept building. He flashed her a pained smile, before vanishing from the room without another word. Ur stared at where he'd been, before shaking her head and walking towards the attached room where her bed was.

"Well, I didn't expect him to apologize for it at all." She glanced over at Gray, smiling faintly. "Tell him thanks for the attempt at least. I never really stopped to think about what it might cause him to even try."

Gray was already feeling the curse's outburst, but strangely, it still wasn't pushing Zeref back down. For the first time since all of this started, it was almost as if he had hope for where things were going. It made Gray smile, seeing him like that. "I'll be sure to pass it along." He hadn't expected meeting a self-proclaimed god to be the thing to cheer Zeref up, but Gray wasn't going to complain. Like this, it was sorta fun to be around him and it definitely wasn't boring. Maybe Zeref's humor was strange, and maybe he had a weird way of showing he cared, but Gray was slowly finding himself getting even more attached to the man. For now, he should probably just keep that to himself, until he was certain it wasn't just being relieved to have a break from all the misunderstandings about his non-existent love life.