*Goes to update the story* *Realizes its been almost two months since I have* :(
So uh, time got away from me, for a number of factors. Biggest thing was finals-and me struggling to find a stopping point for this chapter. But I am back now. Don't worry, I am not going on hiatus quite yet (I'll let you guys know if and when I do). But until next time!
Note: I do not own either RWBY or Fairy Tail. Those are owned by Rooster Teeth and Hiro Mashima (and FUNimation). Please support the official release.
Note two: Bolded text indicates telepathic dialogue. Italic text indicates a flashback.
Zeref slowly inhaled, breathing in the cool fall air. He could almost taste the ashes in his mouth. Another village lost to the Grimm. And a certain someone, a traitorous thought filled his head. He hadn't ever been to Shion before then, but couldn't help but feel the guilt for the town's fate flow through him.
Mavis, standing beside him, mumbled, "I didn't realize... what's she been doing?"
He let out a controlled breath. "I suppose, as a 'Bandit Queen,' she's been raiding local towns, and then leaving them for the Grimm."
"I guess," Mavis frowned, "we'll just have a couple extra questions to ask Raven."
Zeref squeezed her hand, locking eyes with her. "You… you can't blame yourself for this."
"But," she gestured to the deathly silent town, "we could've stopped this." Oh. So this was about that. "None of these people should've died."
The former Spriggian Emperor kept his mouth shut. No, they couldn't, he wanted to say. After all, it was the town's fault that they couldn't defend themselves from the Branwen Tribe and the Grimm. But they never would've had to defend against either if you stopped Raven. But it wasn't like Zeref was one to control the actions of others. But wasn't he? After all, didn't his reign as emperor contradict that? The ever-constant pounding of his head spiked. He needed to stop thinking about this.
"Let's go," he lightly tugged Mavis toward the treeline. He didn't feel much resistance from her.
"How do you think Team RWBY's doing?" he nudged her playfully, both needing a distraction.
She looked back at him with a confused look. "With what?"
"I believe now is about the time when the first years get to accompany real Huntsmen on different missions," Zeref answered.
"Oh right!" Mavis exclaimed, her bright smile briefly chasing away the shadows clouding both of their minds. "The Intern Week!"
Now it was Zeref's turn to be confused. "Intern Week?"
"I came up with it with Ozpin!" The Fairy Tactician smiled brightly at the memory. "It's where Beacon teams go on actual jobs with Huntsmen. Ozpin was surprisingly enthusiastic when I pitched it. A worrying amount of enthusiasm."
"Right…" he sighed, "this is the same idea that made us go rescue Team GALW from that den of Beetles?"
Mavis turned pink. "Well, I got super excited about the idea when I was telling it to Oz… and forgot to tell him to limit what kind of jobs they could take."
That didn't sound like Mavis at all. She thought through everything, the one that came up with backup plans and explanations to reassure Zeref when he tried poking gaps into them.
A cold realization washed over him. "You never told me. You hid it because you didn't want me to worry?"
Mavis avoided his gaze. "Well, a girl has her secrets," she mumbled.
Zeref frowned. He didn't care about the secrets. All in all, it was tame. He just… what did she think he'd feel? Disappointment? "It's okay that you didn't tell me. If–"
"That's not it," Mavis said suddenly. "I just missed Guild… okay? And I wanted…" her voice died. "Never mind. Let's get moving, okay?"
Before Zeref could pry further, a loud CRUNCH of leaves sent them both reaching for their weapons
"Well, well, well," a grating voice oozed from the trees, "What are two kids like you doing out here?" A scraggly blonde man stepped out from behind the foliage, stray leaves still on his clothing. In his hand was a pistol, bound together by string and twine.
"Bandits?" Zeref tentatively placed a hand on one of his knives.
"We could ask you the same thing!" Mavis called back, amusement in her voice. "What's a Haven dropout like you doing out here?"
The man quickly purpled. "Do you even know who I am? I'm part of the Branwen tribe, little girl. I suggest you and your boyfriend hand over any valuables before I have to–" He yelped as a massive, glowing white and gray wolf materialized in front of him, snarling ferociously.
"He is going to figure out that it isn't real," Zeref noted. "We should get everything out of him while we still can."
"Sorry about Kuro," Mavis affectionately rubbed the belly of her giant illusion. "Now, would you mind answering some questions for us?"
"N-now why would I do that?" the bandit began nervously. Zeref sighed at the man's ignorance.
"Because if you don't…" He swiftly disarmed the bandit, the flat of his blade momentarily blinding him before Damnation pressed against his throat, "We won't have any reason to keep you alive."
"Okay, okay!" he squeaked. "What do you want to know?"
"Where's your tribe hiding out?" Mavis asked, a saccharine smile plastered on her face. "Wouldn't want to leave you stranded, now would we?"
"I'm not a fuckin' ki–" the bandit started to say, before remembering the sword at his throat. "Yeah. Sure kid." He slowly got to his feet, warily eyeing the looming wolf bearing its teeth.
"You're having too much fun with this," Zeref tried to chastise his wife. But even he couldn't stop the amusement from creeping into his thoughts.
"But I don't see you stopping me!" she answered back with a sing-song tone.
"Only because it makes you happy–" he started.
"None of that sappy stuff!" Mavis declared, effectively shutting him up, "You'll have time for that later." She smirked. Shaking his head slightly, Zeref turned his attention back to the bandit, nudging the man forward with the tip of his knife.
"Okay, okay!" The bandit answered exasperatedly. "Geez, you're just as bad as Raven."
"I see," Zeref tried to keep the boredom out of his tone.
"You don't believe me, do you?" the man grumbled, nearly walking face-first into a hidden beehive. Zeref almost let him have it, but a pointed look from Mavis made him intervene.
He yanked back on the bandit's collar. "Don't get yourself killed just yet."
The bandit, only now noticing the buzzing menace inches from his face, yelped. "Whoa! Thanks. That would have been bad. So, as I was saying, see this scar across my eye?"
"Did she make that?" Mavis asked, her bright tone juxtaposing the otherwise morbid question. That's when Zeref noticed that the massive wolf was now gone.
"Yep!" the bandit puffed out his chest, clearly oblivious to the missing wolf. "She gave it to me 'cause I couldn't kill that darn Beowolf during training. Said something about not being tough enough for the tribe."
"So, they kicked you out?" Zeref deadpanned.
"Well, not exactly," the man stammered. "One of the others vouched for me. See, she's one of Raven's favorites, so I got a second chance, y'know?"
"That doesn't sound like Vernal," The Black Wizard frowned. This had to be someone new.
"She's normally more likely to cut the head off of someone like him," Mavis agreed. "So, what did this person look like?"
"Why do you care?" The bandit scowled, his tone becoming more hostile. "You probably won't see her anyway. Raven keeps her close, bringing her on almost every raid."
Now even Zeref was intrigued. "Do you know her name?"
"Uhh," The bandit looked into the trees as if searching for something.
"Hey, wait!" Mavis stopped him. "I don't think we even know your name yet."
Zeref narrowed his eyes as the bandit gained a lecherous grin. "The name's Shay…" Shay began, before trailing off after noticing the dark aura emanating from Zeref. "Yep. Just Shay."
The Black Wizard frowned at himself. He hadn't meant to do that. "What was the girl's name?"
"Z... something. Didn't catch the whole thing before I, uh, fainted." He darted his eyes nervously around the forest, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple. "Listen," he stammered, his voice cracking slightly, "maybe we can talk about this? You two seem like reasonable people."
Zeref's grip tightened on his sword hilt. The playful banter was over. "Perhaps," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "But your friends seem to disagree."
As if on cue, figures emerged from behind the trees, a ragged band of bandits armed with a mishmash of weapons. One, a burly man with a scarred face, held a rusty cleaver menacingly. Another, a wiry woman, gripped a cobbled-together rifle in her calloused hands. Their eyes were hard, devoid of fear, replaced by a desperate resolve.
"This seems like an awful lot of trouble for some information," Zeref sighed, his voice heavy with weariness, masking the dangerous glint in his eyes. Shay, emboldened by the apparent hesitation, puffed out his chest. "Yeah, maybe you should just walk away before things get…" He never finished the sentence. In a blur of black, Zeref slammed the hilt of his sword into Shay's temple with a sickening thud. The blonde man crumpled to the ground, unconscious. He turned to the rest of the bandits. "If you don't wish to end up like your comrade, drop your weapons."
None of them did. Though it seemed as if one had wetted his pants.
"Shoot them," Zeref sighed.
The group of attackers looked at each other, then at him with puzzled looks. "What are you on abou–" one began, only to be interrupted by a bolt of electricity to his stomach. One of the bandits raised their rifle to fire. But Zeref was already moving. He launched himself into a powerful leap, tackling the woman mid-aim. The impact sent them both crashing into a nearby tree. Zeref wasted no time. As he rolled off the woman, he smashed an ice-dust canister open against her head. She froze into an immobile ice block against a tree rifle, clattering to the ground uselessly.
He heard the swing of a machete to his right. In a flash, the Black Wizard parried the rusty blade expertly to the side, before slamming the flat of his blade into the bandit's face. The man stumbled back, dazed, before getting pinned to the ground by an earthen lance, which encased his torso in stony earth.
Two bandits remained, fear turning their movements frantic. One charged with a jagged shortsword, their face contorted in a desperate snarl. Zeref simply popped a second icy dust charge, coating the blade in a thin layer of frost. He blocked the strike, letting himself smirk at the bandit's flabbergasted face, as his sword, along with the hand that gripped it, was quickly covered in a thick sheet of ice. Pressing his advantage, the Black Wizard unblocked his magic flow and teleported behind the final bandit hiding behind a tree, who had been firing potshots at Mavis.
"Wait," the bandit's eyes narrowed, "how did you–" Zeref used the flat of his blade to knock them out.
"What's Raven going to say about this?" Mavis groused, having collapsed her bow. Zeref wasn't super concerned with Raven's opinion at the moment.
"I think her opinion was invalidated the moment her tribe tried to ambush us," he replied coldly.
"Talk to her first," Mavis sighed. "It wasn't like the Spriggian Twelve didn't do things opposite of what you wanted them to do."
She… had a fair point. Memories of Irene activating Universe One–more specifically his shock when she did so–dispelled much of the freezing anger he had been carrying. Oh, he was still upset with Raven, but at least he wasn't ready to immediately pin his adopted daughter to the ground with the point of his knife.
"Alright," his mouth tugged into a small smile. "Thanks for that, again."
"Hehe," the Fairy Tactician skipped over to him, before standing on her tiptoes to ruffle his hair. He could only let out a small chuckle.
"Wha…?" The two of them turned around to see Shay sitting on the ground, hand clutching the bruised part of his head. "Do you two think Raven is going to let you two live after what you just did?"
Zeref looked at Mavis.
"We should get going before they all wake up again."
"Yeah, probably."
He turned back to Shay. "A little late for that now." He was talking more to himself than anything, "I would be more worried about your own future."
Raven could tell something was wrong when the patrol team she had sent out didn't return. Weaklings. The Bandit Queen was tempted to ask Zera to go check on them, but that might lead to her strength being called into question. She couldn't have that happening.
Better to go herself then.
Rising from her personal collection of Dust, Raven exited the small tent, tucked behind her larger tent. She could feel the eyes of some of the bandits milling around on her.
"What are you doing?" she asked them sharply. "Get back to work. The next raid is tomorrow, and I expect it to go smoothly." The staring quickly dissipated.
"Raven," a familiar voice caught her attention. Right. Vernal.
"Vernal," Raven held up a hand. "I am going to go check on the patrol team. You are to make sure the raiding party is ready for tomorrow. That means–"
"Test all of the weapons, go over the plan, fuel up the vehicles, and scout out the town," her lieutenant finished. "I just thought you should know that your… 'parents' left you a message."
Wait. Don't tell me. Raven clenched her sword hilt. "Where is it?"
"Just outside the gate," Vernal replied. "And I think you've realized what happened with the patrol squad."
"Yes, Vernal. I do." Raven closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she was staring at Vernal's worn boots. Giving an experimental flap of her wings, Raven launched herself into the air.
"By the way, I already sent Zera to check on…" Vernal's voice faded too quickly for Raven to hear her finish while flying over the gates of the bandit camp. It didn't take long for her to notice the carving of a fairy on one of the trees on the outskirts.
Or the translucent blonde girl sitting on a tree branch. She landed as softly as she could on the branch, tilting her head. When Mavis continued to stare out at the sky, Raven cawed loudly to get her attention.
"I still don't know why you chose a raven of all things," Mavis jokingly huffed. If Raven could roll her eyes, she would have. She tried poking at the immortal's hand, only for her beak to pass right through and hit the branch instead. Vibrations passed through Raven, causing her to freeze up for a moment.
"Pfff," Mavis tried to stifle a laugh. "Did you forget that I'm a–"
"No," Raven recovered quickly. "Where are you two?"
Sighing, Mavis slipped off the tree branch, landing silently on the forest floor. "C'mon Raven, let's go." Finally. Jumping off the branch, Raven opened her wings, gliding from one tree to the next, occasionally increasing her height by flapping her wings. All the while, she paused to observe Mavis skipping through the forest. Why was she–the two of them–here?
It didn't take long before Raven saw the dark and bright figures sitting on a fallen log. The girl lay along the length of the wood, head resting on the boy's lap, who was busy drawing something on the ground. Mavis's ghost floated ethereally toward her physical body until the two blended together.
Raven quickly hopped down from the branch she had perched on, returning to her human self.
"Took you long enough to visit me," Raven placed a hand on her sword. The last time the two of them had come was before Summer… best not to think about that. "I was beginning to think you forgot about me."
Zeref looked up from the ground. "It hasn't been that long…" he tried to argue, before trailing off. "That isn't the point."
"Then what is?" Raven, thoroughly sure Zeref and Mavis weren't going to attack her, crossed her arms in annoyance. "It's been a few years. So I'm assuming you aren't here out of the kindness of your heart."
"Not exactly," Mavis jumped in before Zeref could answer. "We were hoping you'd let us spend the day with you?"
Raven let out a dry laugh. "Just a day? How generous."
"Raven," Zeref locked eyes with her. His onyx eyes always unsettled Raven. They were like staring into the abyss. "Now isn't the time. I know we–"
"I know you took out my bandits," Raven dropped all pretenses. "Look, Dad, I know you're here to ask something of me. I can tell based on your pouting, Mavis."
The girl instantly blushed, burying her head into Zeref's shoulder.
Zeref scowled at Raven. "Yes, Daughter. We need you to check on Leonardo."
Leo? "Is this an excuse by Oz to rope me back into his circus trope?" the bandit queen was decidedly unimpressed. "If it is, you wasted your time coming here."
Mavis scooted off of Zeref's lap to face Raven. "No. I don't think we told Ozpin why we needed to leave Beacon for a few weeks."
"Leave Beacon?" Raven raised her eyebrows. "Don't tell me you decided to become teachers–after Team STRQ left." By Oum, she still remembered the times when Team STRQ (except for Summer) tried to get Zeref and Mavis to replace their infuriating son at Beacon.
"Not quite," Zeref corrected. "I don't believe we would be old enough to pass as teachers, so–"
"We're classmates with your daughter!" Mavis finished. Then she scrunched up her face. "Though, it is a bit awkward, now that I think about it."
"So Oz has you two at Beacon to keep an eye on Ruby," Raven pieced together, talking to herself. Her niece should've been only 15 by now. "Did he let her in early?"
"Against my input," Zeref turned his attention back to whatever magic circle he was drawing. "Yang's on a team with her, along with Wei–the Schnee heir and former White Fang member."
Raven stifled a laugh. "And let me guess. They're being treated the same way we were?"
"They managed to expose a terrorist organization without any sort of punishment," Zeref answered. "Team STRQ never did something as big as that."
"Especially not in their first year," Mavis added. "Team RWBY's certainly a lot of fun."
At that, Raven frowned. They were making it sound like her daughter was getting thrown into situations even Raven would've found difficult to deal with. "It sure sounds like we have a lot to talk about. I suppose you can stay the night with me. But you two are teleporting straight into my tent. But I'm sure you have that covered."
The pair exchanged looks. Raven knew how strange her request sounded, but she wanted to keep Zera a secret. After all, it wasn't every day Raven knew something they didn't.
"I won't be hard," Mavis winked. Beside her, Zeref placed his drawing stick down. Then, within the blink of an eye, a glowing blue barrier sprang to life, blocking the three of them in the forest.
What the–Raven instantly drew Omen, holding it by her side. She glared at Zeref. "What's this for?"
Zeref got to his feet, walking to the right, toward a particularly thicker tree. "Someone's been spying on us for some time now." Raven's brow creased. Who would even be out here to eavesdrop? The only person who knew where she was was well, Vernal.
Wait. Vernal said something as I flew away. She had sent someone after the patrol group.
Before she could continue her train of thought any further, Raven was startled by the sudden color change of the azure barrier surrounding them pulsed erratically, the familiar blue glow morphing into a menacing crimson.
Then she noticed the smoke from behind the tree. Oh, goddamnit. It just had to be Zera Vernal sent out. Mavis got to her feet and drew her bow. Meanwhile, Zeref was furiously editing his protective barrier. That put Raven in a bit of a bind.
On the one hand, it would look very, very suspicious if she didn't do anything. On the other hand, she didn't want to give Zera away. As if on cue, the fire leapt, greedily devouring the dry bark of the oak. The enclosed space rapidly filled with thick, acrid smoke. Good. Raven dashed toward the epicenter of the fire, eyes narrowing to try and reduce the effects of the smoke.
Her stray hand grasped onto the bony shoulder of Zera. Raven could barely see what she was gripping onto, let alone Zera's face. She leaned in close to the girl's ear.
"The moment this thing breaks, burn me." The brunette jumped at Raven's touch. The flame pressed against Zeref's barrier faltered slightly. Clenching her teeth, Raven released Zera from her grip, before wrapping two hands around her sword's handle. The weakened barrier shattered into smaller glowing blue particles in one fell swoop.
"Sorry about this," Zera muttered before flicking her hand. A jet of fire raced toward Raven's face. Instinctually, the bandit queen blocked the worst of the flames with her arm. Her aura flickered as it tried to push back against the worst of the flames. Still, a flash of searing pain jolted up and across her forearm.
The smoke and flame that had previously obscured her vision began to dissipate as the magic power that had fueled them was burned away.
"You–" Raven nearly toppled over from Mavis's push.
"Look, I'm sorry," Raven spun back around, gingerly cradling her burned arm. "I just didn't want you two to have to do all the work here. And I think it worked."
Zeref stood, his eyes burning with a dangerous red glint. "You let them escape. I felt you break my shield. But–" He stumbled, his face contorted in sudden agony. Raven's eyes widened. Ah, shit.
She morphed back into a raven, rapidly flapping her wings away. Behind her, the sound of swaying leaves was replaced by the crackle of dead and decaying leaves. Raven took a risky glance behind her. Through the dark miasma, she could see the soft white glow of Mavis cradling the dark shape of Zeref. She was screwed once he calmed down.
Unless…Raven needed to get back to camp now. The camp's kitchens were about to get very busy.
Mavis struggled to keep her composure as arcs of pain lashed her mind. She couldn't tell where her mind ended and Zeref's began. Why did it hurt so much this time? Mavis pulled Zeref's hands away from his face, gripping them tightly. She could see through the inky mist Zeref's red irises, or maybe her own.
"Why won't she let us in?" That single thought broke through all the pain for just a split second. Wait. Us? Mavis was relatively sure that that was Zeref's train of thought, so why did it feel like it came from her?
She opened her mouth. "Zeref. I don't know. But… we won't ever know unless we talk to her." The haziness slowly began to clear up.
"But–" Zeref locked eyes with her. "We've tried. I–I've tried."
"We can't give up on her now," she protested. "Not when she's family." The black fog was barely visible now. It's a good sign at least. But Mavis was more worried about… the unresolved tension between him and Raven.
"Like she did with Summer?" He sounded more annoyed now. And tired. "Raven gave up on her."
"You know that it wasn't that simple," the Fairy Tactician crossed her arms. "She was… scared–inexperienced."
"Only matched by her arrogance." Zeref rolled his eyes and stood suddenly. Mavis frowned.
"Don't start on this again!" She groaned theatrically.
"Let's just go," he pulled her up, before leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead.
Mavis blinked, before reddening slightly.
"You're still going to have to apologize," she murmured. "Even if that felt nice."
"That wasn't my intention." Zeref sounded slightly offended. "Though, I'm glad you enjoyed it."
"Enough of that," Mavis pushed him away. "Do you think the spy's from the Branwen Tribe?"
The Black Wizard shook his head. "Other than Raven helping this 'spy' escape, does it really make sense for this person to spy on us?"
"Most of the tribe would pee their pants before defying Raven," Mavis agreed. "Unless they knew they could get away with it." Then she considered what Raven had asked them to do before making a convenient exit. "Is that why Raven doesn't want us to see anyone else in the camp?"
"We could probably walk in now and find them." Zeref rolled his eyes. "What would she even have to hide? She's never been this secretive about one person."
He's right, Mavis had to agree. But… "I don't think the spy used a Semblance."
"That isn't possible. There isn't any other way a person could summon flames like those unless they… you don't think they used magic, do you?"
"There's always the possibility that we aren't the only people the Brothers decided to send here."
"Well that doesn't exactly narrow the possibilities down of who it could." Mavis couldn't help but feel concerned about where Zeref was taking this. "Fire isn't exactly a unique magic element."
"I know it's not Natsu," he answered her tiredly. Mavis flinched slightly at that. "Besides, I don't think it matters who was spying on us–but why they did it."
Before Mavis could respond to that with anything, a low growl broke through the air. Ah right. "You feeling up for a fight?"
"Not much choice in the matter," he answered dryly. Zeref turned away, unsheathing his blades. "Let's just make this quick." Sighing, Mavis loaded a dust charge into the bow, before closing her eyes. This Grimm was using the vegetation to hide itself? Fair enough. The Fairy Tactician took a deep breath and focused on the magic flowing through her body. The nearly blinding light, the Fairy Heart, grounded her vision. Just behind her, Mavis could feel what was a sea of void–Zeref's presence.
Moving her attention to the otherwise empty treeline, Mavis could sense an almost cold magical presence–devoid of any warmth or life. She tilted her bow over until it was in line with the hidden Grimm. The creature jumped out of the way of the icy lance just as the dust lance instantly expanded into jagged ice. This thing was strangely intelligent–but much too small to be any of the traditionally powerful Grimm.
"Is it just the one?" Zeref sounded on edge. "Might be one of Salem's hounds."
Mavis wasn't quite ready to jump to that conclusion. She couldn't consider the possibility of Zeref being right. "It's probably just an Alpha Beowolf. Salem isn't dumb enough to send one of her experiments this far out to us." She aimed again. "Get ready when I flush it out." But just as she let loose a second volley, the hulking mass bounded from the brush, taking the shot through its head. The Beowolf stumbled for a moment, before collapsing as it dissolved into black mist. Mavis lowered her weapon, displaying a rare case of genuine confusion.
Why did it…? Mavis smelled smoke. Fire drove it out. But the only people around here are me, Zeref, and the… spy. She immediately knocked back another arrow. Zeref circled and approached where the Grimm had come out from. He exchanged a glance with Mavis.
"Are you going to say something or can I?" he asked. The Fairy Tactician nodded slightly.
Zeref sheathed one of his swords. "I would come out now." There was no response.
"Please?" Mavis called out in a more hopeful tone. Leaves crunched, followed by rapid footsteps.
"Did you have to do that?" Mavis couldn't help but internally giggle at Zeref's exasperated tone.
"What? You may as well try the classic good wizard bad wizard routine." She carefully approached to where the smell of smoke trailed from, the grass and dead leaves muffling her already soft footsteps. "Besides, we'll probably find them later. It's not that big of a deal."
No no no no no no no no no no no.
The only thing keeping Zera in this reality was the burning feeling of her hand. Then she noticed her hand was still on fire from scaring the Beowolf. In a panic, Zera smothered her left hand against her chest, putting it out. The sigh of relief that followed after, however, did not relieve any of the… feelings she was feeling.
How had Mavis found her way here? Last Zera remembered, her best friend had been fighting to protect the family she'd help create against Zeref–who had also come here. Something was going on between Mavis and Zeref. There had to be. Zera had only seen Mavis as relaxed and content at the hidden spring outside of Magnolia Town.
And she had been sitting with the same person who tried to invade the guild only a few months before. Or had it only been a few months? From what she'd gathered from the short exchange between Raven and the pair, it felt like they'd known each other for much longer than a couple of months (not including the time Zeref spent training Mavis, herself, and the others).
Zera needed answers. And she suspected that a certain bandit queen might know more than she was letting on.
She sighed in relief that the small hole she'd found in the palisade still hadn't been filled yet. It was already hard enough being the newest member of the tribe and yet getting, as Vernal put it, "special treatment." She didn't need to get side-eyed every time she came back to camp.
Granted, it probably wasn't in the tribe's best interests to have a literal hole in its defenses, but that mattered little to Zera at the moment. Quickly unbuckling the knife sheath on her waist, Zera tossed it through the small slit before slipping her right leg through. She hit a snag when she tried to squeeze the rest of her body through the hole. Namely, as she was shimmying between the cured wooden logs, something she couldn't see grabbed her by the hand. On instinct, Zera tried yanking back her arm, igniting her hand at the same time.
She only succeeded in getting yanked through the hole fast enough to cause her to stumble forward, nearly falling to the dirt, only to be pulled back onto her feet by the back of her shirt collar.
"So that's how you've been getting in and out without me seeing." Vernal did not sound impressed. "You're lucky none of my clothes got burned when you nearly fried my face off. Otherwise, I'd be a lot more pissed."
That got Zera to turn around. "I didn't mean to do that! I just… panicked when someone grabbed me, okay?"
Raven's second-in-command snorted. "Then go through the front door. I do have to say though–I don't think any of us would've found this gap without you. Good work kid."
"Uh, thanks?" The sudden praise threw Zera off balance. "What was that for?"
"Oh, nothing much." Vernal bent her knees to pick up the knife that was still on the ground. "It's just that, Raven may or may not be on the warpath for you."
That gave the teenage brunette pause. From what she'd heard around camp, having Raven Branwen pissed at one person specifically usually prompted said person to flee into the surrounding wilds of wherever the Tribe decided to camp, never to be seen again. But… maybe, this was exactly where Zera needed Raven to get the answers she needed.
"So where is she?" Zera slipped back on her belt, tightening the well-worn leather strap. That earned her a pair of raised eyebrows.
"Zera," Vernal sighed, "I know Raven's given you a lot of special treatment, but I wouldn't recommend pushing your luck any further. You haven't seen her when she's… this pissed about something. The last time this happened, well, there's a reason why we move around so much."
"I thought the Tribe migrated when there aren't any more towns to…" Zera struggled to find a word that wouldn't offend Vernal, "you know."
"If that were the case, we would have settled down somewhere at some point." Did she sound… bitter?
That was something for Zera to think about another time. "If you aren't going to tell me where Raven is, I'll go look for her myself." She shouldered her way past Vernal, darting between a pair of canvas tents.
When Zera entered the main clearing, she found it unusually quiet. There weren't small groups sparring against each other, or bandits repairing or scrapping vehicles or weapons. The few people still milling about outside occasionally stole glances at the main yurt–Raven's tent. Maybe Vernal had a point. But, she couldn't get cold feet now.
Steeling her nerves, Zera ascended the creaky wooden steps. The structure was showing its age, with moss growing between some of the cracks in the grain. How long since this thing was built? Before Raven was leader of the Tribe? She hadn't been part of the Tribe for long–cared little about its collective success. But part of her still wondered how much longer this place could last.
Shaking those thoughts away, Zera hesitantly pushed open the flaps to the yurt. Inside, there was a whole meal set out on the teak-accented table. There were dishes she'd only seen as a child on Tenrou Island: lightly fried bird wings, meatballs, and assorted steamed vegetables on white rice. And behind that, sat Raven, dressed in a set of baggy underclothes. A green shirt with a faded white image hugged her body, while a pair of gray shorts covered her lower body. Zera sat there, blinking for a moment.
The Bandit Queen shot her an unimpressed look. "I can tell you're here for something. Spit it out. You're not going to have a lot of time to ask."
"Were you expecting guests?" Zera gingerly took a seat. Was Vernal wrong?
"You want to know about the people you saw in the woods?"
"Yes."
Raven took a deep breath. "Alright. I'll give you the short version. The two people you saw in the woods are my… adoptive parents. Their names are Mavis and Zeref. They aren't… from here." Then she paused. "You don't look surprised."
"Hmm?" Zera hadn't realized she'd looked bored. "Oh no. I am very surprised that Mavis of all people managed to raise someone like you." Her eyes widened. Zera hadn't meant to let that part slip out.
"Got you." Raven sounded so smug. Zera squeezed her hand.
The wizard threw up her hands. "I guess that cat's out of the bag. I haven't been in this world for more than a few months though. So it'd be nice if you could continue?"
"Not until you spill how you know those two."
Zera's eyes narrowed. Had Mavis never mentioned her? Then she thought about it a little more. Mavis had never mentioned her to almost anyone else, even in the Fairy Tail guild. "I am–was her best friend. We grew up together."
"On Tenrou," Raven finished. "That's all I needed to know. I suppose I'll finish my half then. I met Mavis and Zeref while I was attending Beacon Academy with my brother. We had been sent there to learn how to kill Huntsmen by the Tribe."
"How would you've met Mavis at Beacon?"
"She and Zeref are friends with the school's headmaster. They live in the woods near the school." Zera had to silence the laugh building in her throat. Of course, she would. But the wording of Raven's sentence gave her pause.
"Are they living together?"
"I mean, they're married," Raven rolled her eyes, "so yes, they live under one roof."
"Oh," Zera could only nod. What had her friend gotten up to? "So… what happened next?"
A genuine smile graced her lips. "Well, a lot of things. Mostly bailing us out of run-ins with the mafia, helping to prank the teachers, and… training me and my team. There was this one time the pair took me to Vacuo for a week–fun for sure. Got sick of the sand pretty quick. The Grimm there were some of the worst I've had to deal with, especially the stupid Dromedons."
"Dromedons?"
"Acid-spitting camels. Unless you want to turn into a green puddle, you have to be constantly strafing it while taking potshots. The worst part is that they evolved armored humps, so you can't just get on the things back. Mavis had the bright idea of dropping me into a whole herd of the damn things."
"Huh," Zera raised her eyebrows, "She did that once to herself on Tenrou. Accidentally fell into a nest of giant lizards. She got out by pretending to be one of them."
"Yeah, well I can't make illusions like her. I ended up having to get the camels to spit on each other to melt the bone on their humps." A creaking noise interrupted her.
In an instant, Zera felt herself lifted into the air by her shoulders, her feet dangling over the food. What the– Raven tossed her like a ragdoll through a curtain dividing the tent in half. If Zera hadn't landed on the soft bedding Raven slept on, she probably would've hissed in pain. Two shadows appeared behind the curtain before Zera could protest being treated like a throw pillow.
"Are you trying to bribe me with food?" Mavis's voice froze Zera in place. She was this close–so close that Zera was so close to just bursting out of the curtain to tackle hug Mavis.
"No," Raven answered smoothly, "not you. Zeref?"
There was a short pause. "You are forgiven for annoying me earlier. I however, would like to know which one of your bandits happened to be watching us so I can give them a warning." Zera internally shuddered. At least Raven seemingly wanted to keep her hidden from Zeref and Mavis.
"Oh, I found her," Raven answered casually enough that Zera almost didn't catch it. "She's behind the curtain there."
"Then why can't I sense anyone there?" Zera could almost hear the frown in Mavis's voice. But, she was a little busy coming to terms with Raven throwing her under the bus.
"Yes, that is strange," Zeref answered, "but you aren't lying. Where did you find them?"
"On a raiding mission."
"You kidnapped a girl," The Black Wizard's tone took on a hard edge, "at least tell me none of the other members tried anything–"
"If they did, their heads would be rolling. I haven't forgotten our agreement–I know where the line is. I don't want to cross that line."
"Is it okay if I see who it is?" Mavis asked. There was an uncomfortably long pause, at least for Zera.
"She'll come out when she wants. And if she doesn't, then I guess you're out of luck."
"You still haven't told us her name."
"I'd give away the fun of you guessing." The sound of clinking china followed.
"Is this…" Mavis sounded wistful, "cactus?" Zera tried to remember where the Tribe managed to get that from. Had there been a traveling Vacuo merchant in one of the nearby towns?
"What can I say?" Raven's voice was muffled by food in her mouth. "You got me hooked."
"I still don't understand how this became your favorite food," Zeref muttered. "It's practically tasteless."
"You got sick of it because you did nothing but live in a desert for two hundred years."
The cactus debate went on for long enough that Zera was beginning to think she could probably sneak out without getting detected. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take hearing Mavis's voice. She was getting bored anyway. Peaking through the folds of the curtain, Zera could see that the meal she'd previously seen set out on the table had been absolutely demolished, empty bowls and plates crowding the surface.
Lucky for her, it looked as if Zeref was just tall enough to block Raven's line of sight of the tent exit. Now, how would she slip out the front door, or in this case flap, without making a sound?
She carefully stepped onto the soft carpet, slipping out from behind the orange curtain.
"So what is it about Leo that you want me to check on?"
Zeref answered her. "He hasn't been as detailed with his monthly reports as he has in the past. Either Leonardo's slipping in his old age–" Zera flinched when Mavis elbowed him in the stomach.
"Don't be mean about it," she chastised, "but as he was saying, there's a chance Leo's now in league with… her." Zera frowned. Mavis was being suspiciously vague about this. She took another step.
"Never imagined him to be a turncoat," Raven began collecting the dirty dishes, allowing Zera to take a few more steps. She could reach the entrance with the tip of her hand. "I guess I can take a few days to check on him. Just don't expect anything good from that." Raven began to rise from her seated position. She was going to see Zera. And there was nothing the teenager could do to hide.
"I don't think it was out of his own free will," Mavis's voice came to her rescue, as it caused Raven to stop moving. "He isn't the type to relish any pain she causes–"
"And Leonardo's smart enough to not trust any promises Salem's made," Zeref immediately continued, "He's doing it out of fear–if he's betrayed Ozpin at all." Deciding that she'd heard enough, Zera took the opportunity to finally slip out of Raven's tent.
The warm summer breeze hit her face, cooling the sweat that had built up while cooped up in the well-insulated yurt.
She took a deep breath. Why hadn't she stepped out from behind the curtain? Zera glanced back at the darkened tent entrance. Mavis didn't need her anymore. It felt like someone had poured a bucket of cold water on her. Mavis hadn't needed Zera for a long time. The wizard turned to leave.
"Where do you think you're going?" Zera felt someone grab her by the wrist. So Raven had seen her after all.
"Back to my tent."
"I thought you wanted to see your friend."
"Well, I changed my mind." Zera whipped her head around. "You can just tell them that I was Vernal or something. I don't–I want to see them anymore."
Raven's face softened. "I can tell you still want to see Mavis. I get it. I'd do a lot of terrible things to see my best friend again. So what's stopping you?"
"I don't know," Zera shook her head. "I guess, I don't think Mavis needs me around anymore. I might just dredge up the past if I–"
"Don't be a coward, Zera. If that's what happens, then that's Mavis's problem to deal with, not yours."
Raven's bluntness surprised her. "I thought they were your parents."
All she got was a smirk. "Only when I turned 18. It'll be fine. Give it a chance."
"You aren't going to let this go, are you?" Zera studied Raven's expression. The casual smile did not match the pain and regret apparent in the Bandit Queen's eyes, as if she was remembering something else.
"No," Raven agreed. "I don't think I can." She held out a hand. "What'd you say?"
Zera took it.
Mavis didn't have words to describe… what she felt when Raven reentered the yurt.
With a familiar face with her.
"This… this is Zera?" Zeref's question bounced through her head. Mavis took a split second to consider that question. The petite girl that stood in front of her wore a gray linen shirt that was rolled up to her elbows, under a dark brown vest. Black leggings hugged what were the teenager's toned legs. Her light brown hair was tied up with pigtails.
It was like Zera had never died on Tenrou Island.
"It's been a while, Mavis." The girl gave a small wave.
"H-how…" For once, the Fairy Tactician was rendered speechless. Hundreds of thoughts raced through her head. Had the gods brought her here? Was Zera just another subconscious illusion? How had Raven found her anyway? Wait, how long had Zera been in Remnant at all?
Zeref asked some of the questions for her. "So… Zera, how did you end up falling in with the Branwen Tribe? All Raven said is that you were… caught in the middle of a raid."
"Right," Zera's eyes flickered toward the Bandit Queen, "I was staying in a small village when Vernal and a raiding party showed up, looted the place, and knocked me unconscious for trying to stop her from breaking into the home I was staying at."
"So you just ended up in that village to start with?"
"Not that village. I'm not actually sure where I ended up. The first thing I woke up to was a small farm."
Mavis deliberately stood up slowly, before turning to face Raven.
"She did what?" Mavis couldn't help but let that thought slip out. She could feel Zeref's resignation. Good. He wasn't going to stop her this time.
Mavis watched Raven uncharacteristically inch back slightly as she approached. "Uh, Mavis?" Mavis ignored her, grabbing her daughter by the shoulders.
"Since you didn't do it yourself," the smaller girl locked eyes with Raven, letting a little of her control slip. She watched as Raven's eyes widened and instinctively tried to step back. "All you need to do is–"
Mavis felt a hand on her shoulder.
"You don't need to do this, Mavis," Zera spoke softly, "I sorted this out with Raven already. This… this isn't like you."
She blinked a few times, the hazing anger and confusion lifting from her mind.
Had she just tried to…oh. She quickly stepped back, releasing Raven. "Sorry Raven. I…don't know what came over me."
"Your eyes turned red," the woman muttered more to herself, "I mean–don't worry too much about it. I already told Vernal to drop it with the human trafficking."
"Only after I came along," Zera muttered, "but Mavis, I wanna hear more about what you've been up to." She pulled her into a conspiratorial hug. "Especially about…him."
"Hmmm," Mavis muttered, before shooting a quick look at Zeref. "You think its fine if I tell her?"
"That's more up to you really," Zeref looked as if he was trying to avoid Zera's gaze. "I don't really know Zera. But if you do, then that's enough for me. She just seems–"
"A little wary of you?" Mavis internally smirked. "I could tell."
"Ugh," Raven groaned in the background, "are you two done talking yet? You can't leave a girl hanging."
"It's not that surprising," the Black Wizard sounded tired, "It's not like I left the best impression with Fairy Tail."
"Talking?" Zera sounded puzzled.
"But the only time she ever got to talk or see you was when you were teaching us magic. It can't be that bad."
"They have this weird ability to talk with each other through their heads," Raven explained, "and they sometimes forget that other PEOPLE ARE IN THE ROOM!"
"Huh?" Mavis blinked, "Did you say something?"
"I'll just give you three some space," the Branwen twin sighed, "Just try not to take too long. People are going to get suspicious."
As Raven exited the room, Zera flopped down onto the carpeted floor. She looked exhausted.
"You want to talk about this in the morning?" Mavis asked worriedly.
"Nah," Zera pushed herself up by her arms, "I had to wait eighty or something years to talk to you last time–I am not risking that again."
"You're a lot more…lively than what Mavis told me about," Zeref spoke softly.
Zera seemed a little surprised at the comment. "I mean, it's been a while since I've seen her. I had to learn to talk to someone other than Mavis eventually."
"And get used to people being able to see you?" The Fairy Tactitan grinned. Zera didn't look amused.
"Stop trying to make this about me," Zera grabbed her by the shoulders, "I want my answers."
"Okay, okay," Mavis raised her hands in mock surrender.
"We can't keep sleeping out in the forest," Mavis decided, picking up a stick.
The Black Wizard shrugged. "I don't see that big of an issue with that. And I would think you would be the one person most willing to stay out here."
"Then that means one of us always has to stay up," she pouted, "so we don't get ambushed by the wolves. And besides, Zera and I did sleep in one of the old houses on Tenrou."
"I still think there's something more to them," Zeref scooted over from the tree, "So what did you have in mind?" Mavis was already sketching out the cabin she'd thought about for a long time.
"We build a new cabin," She drew out the foundation of the future building, "right around…there." She pointed to the small hill they'd landed on Remnant.
Zeref took a contemplative look at the drawing. "You'd have to level out the ground," he gently took the stick, "here and here. And unless we find a quarry of some kind, there isn't going to be many options for stone to build the foundations with."
"Why don't we just use the wood?"
"Because then it'd rot–oh." I mean, if its the only thing we have right now, then we could make it work."
Mavis couldn't help but let out a small sigh of relief. "So you know the needed magic circles then."
"Yes. But you don't?" Wait. Was Zeref implying…?
"Hey!" She elbowed him–hard. "It's not like I was able to spend a lot of time studying magic after you sent me into a coma." She made a few modifications to her diagram before she noticed Zeref had stopped talking. "I didn't mean it that way."
"But if I hadn't let myself lose control–" he tried to say, eyes flickering red.
"You can't say that!" She cupped Zeref's cheeks, turning his head toward her. "You can't…can't shut everyone out again. Please." Not when he was the only person she, realistically, was going to have left.
Zeref placed one hand on Mavis's left hand. "It's still hard, sometimes." He opened his other hand, revealing gray, decayed, plant matter. "Let's just…get back to the cabin."
"I…guess," Mavis let her arms drop and attention returned to the drawing. She kept her hand clasped with Zeref's. "You'll always have me Zeref."
"And you'll always have me," he answered, "for better and worse."
"Always."
"Wait wait," Zera interrupted Zeref and Mavis' explanation, "So you just forgave him?"
The two immortals exchanged a look.
"Is that what happened?"
"Not sure really. It feels more complicated than that."
Mavis spoke first. "I mean, you could put it like that."
"And all the things he did? And I'm not talking just about the war with Fairy Tail." Mavis supposed she should've seen this coming.
"That was over eighty years ago, Zera," Mavis admitted, "I didn't see the point in hating him forever."
"But there is a difference between that and marrying the guy," she pointed to the two rings on their hands, "I'm not mad about it. I just want to…understand why."
"Did Mavis ever tell you how she felt about me?" Zeref asked her. Zera hesitantly shook her head.
"I didn't like you that early." Mavis huffed.
"I knew that already. That isn't the point." Zeref sighed. "When Mavis received the Curse of Ankhseram, she didn't take it too well."
"To put it lightly," Mavis actually laughed at that before quieting down, as the memory of that tortuous year settled over her. The self-loathing, the emptiness. "The one thing I learned quickly was that the Curse was designed to isolate people. It killed everything around me, so I learned to avoid people as much as I could."
"That's just cruel," Zera first said. "But, that means the only person who wouldn't die was…you." She pointed to Zeref. "I…I'm beginning to see how this came to be now. Still, that wouldn't explain why…what was that about a coma?"
Both Zeref and Mavis turned a scarlet red. "We'd rather not talk about that," They both said in unison.
"I just ended up in a coma after meeting Zeref again," she clarified slightly.
"Sure," Zera thankfully didn't press further, "So what happens now?"
"One of two things really." Raven reentered the tent, looking a little more tired than she had before. "Either you stay with me until you look old enough to pass for eighteen, or you leave with Mavis and Zeref in the morning."
The Black Wizard shot Raven a look but didn't say anything. "Did she mention anything like this to you?"
"I don't think I would hide something like this," Mavis answered.
"Well that's an easy decision," Zera got to her feet, stretching out her arms, "I'll stay here." Wait, what?
Raven crossed her arms. "That was not the answer I was expecting."
"You need me right now," Zera told her plainly, "and…Mavis doesn't. Not now anyway."
Mavis frowned at that. "Zera, that isn't what I was trying to say–"
"It's nothing you said," she shot Mavis a wistful smile, "I can just tell. And besides, I'm still trying to make it to Haven Academy–and Raven's offering her help to get me ready."
"But we–I could help you with that," Mavis protested.
Zera shook her head. "I need to do this Mavis. I haven't been my own person for a very long time–I was always just a part of you." Before Mavis could press further, she felt Zeref squeeze her hand.
"Respect her decision," Zeref counseled, "and don't make the same mistakes I did. Learn to…let go." Mavis wanted to point out the irony that Zeref, of all people, was telling her to let go.
"Can you at least agree to be in Beacon for the Vytal Festival?"
"The fighting tournament? If I can get to Haven before the next semester, probably."
"Then that'll have to be good enough," Mavis stepped forward until she was standing right in front of Zera, before embracing her best friend. "I'll miss you."
"I'm not going to die on you again," Zera returned the hug, "I'll see you soon. Promise."
Raven's cough broke the two girls apart. "It seems like you two sorted out whatever needed to be sorted. So Zera, unless you want to take night watch–"
"I'm going, I'm going," she made her way to the tent entrance, "It was nice seeing you again Mavis. And Zeref?"
The Black Wizard tilted his head slightly.
"Keep watching her back okay?" And then she was gone, just as fast as she appeared. Mavis couldn't help but feel a slight twinge in her heart.
"She'll be back before you know it," Zeref reassured her. "Was there anything else you wanted to talk about, Raven?"
"Nah," she stifled a yawn, "I think I'm going to turn in for tonight. Vernal'll wake me at two in the morning for night watch, so don't worry if you hear someone entering the tent." Raven then disappeared behind the thin, orange curtain. Frowning slightly, Mavis turned her attention to pulling out the spare futons Raven kept in the corner of the room. She'd bought them after Mavis and Zeref's third visit.
He crouched down to help her. "Something's still on your mind."
"It's nothing," Mavis tried to avoid the question.
"You asked for it then." Zeref's ominous warning only registered in her head when she felt fingertips on her ribs. Wait. He wasn't going to–Her train of thought was cut off when Zeref's fingers began dancing along her body. She ended up falling over and onto the ground, legs instinctively trying to kick away her assailant.
"Pffff," Mavis tried to suppress the laughter building up in her throat. Every time his fingers brushed against her skin, she felt a jolt arc through her body. "S-s-stop!"
Unfortunately, she could feel the smugness radiating from Zeref, as he dodged the errand kick. He wasn't going to stop anytime soon. "All you have to tell me is what's bothering you."
"I-it's nothing," she tried to say, only to end in a fit of giggles, "Okay, okay! I-I-I'll tell you." He finally let up, seating himself on top of one of the blankets. "So?"
"It's about Zera," Mavis joined him on the blanket, resting her head on his shoulder. "She's human again. And…we aren't."
"I'm not entirely sure about that," he began stroking her hair gently, which felt nice. "Neither of us was able to detect Zera's magical presence."
"But she definitely isn't an illusion anymore," Mavis sighed, "She never told us how she actually got here." She stewed in her thoughts. Maybe Mavis was just overthinking things. "I'm feeling tired."
"It's been a long day," Zeref agreed. He reached out his hand, creating tiny barriers to smother the flames of the lanterns hanging from the top of the ceiling, bathing the tent in darkness. Mavis settled in under the thin blanket.
"Good night," she closed her eyes. It really had been a long day.
Bzzt!
Bzzt!
Mavis, groaning, pulled out her scroll. The caller id was "The Old Wizard." Her day was just about to get even longer, wasn't it?
Beside her, Zeref stirred slightly. "What is it?"
"Ozpin's calling," she sighed. swiping to answer the call, "Hello?"
"You need to–" Ozpin's already crackling voice lagged, cutting off the rest of his message.
"This is why Ozma should've used Vytal to make a satellite," Zeref groaned.
"Well, he didn't want any one kingdom to have too much leverage over the others," the Fairy Tactician reasoned. "That didn't come through Oz."
The device crackled again. "Vale–Grimm–wall breached." Mavis's heart nearly stopped beating.
"Salem's making her move," She scrambled out of the futon. Mavis got out, "we're coming Oz," before the call dropped. "We should let Raven know we're leaving."
"No, don't," Zeref tossed her her bow, reattaching the sheathes of his daggers. "If she realizes Yang's in danger, she'll do something reckless."
"Well, we can't just disappear on her," Mavis fished out one of the small scraps of paper she kept in the folds of her dress, along with a pencil. "Just get ready to go!" Even as Mavis furiously scribbled out a quick note, she couldn't help but let a thought cross her mind.
What was happening back in Vale?