Chapter 48: The Neo Eclipse

Back at the Christina, Blue Pegasus's co-leader Ichiya introduced a mysterious blonde woman.

Hibiki arrived in the hallway from a nearby door. "Ichiya, sir, we should be arriving at our destination in a few minutes." The short old man nodded and looked back to his allies. "Erza, everyone I'll explain everything."

Erza decided to take her admirer's words for it, though, she looked at the blonde woman. "S-sure, but, who is that woman?"

Usagi observed the blonde woman and began to put the pieces together. "Strange, why does her face remind me of Lucy?"

"How is Wendy?" Jellal asked.

"She's fine, she must've passed out," Erza replied holding the young girl up.

Usagi gasped loudly and turned in the direction sending danger. "Acnologia...he's coming...and at high speed too!"

Ren gritted his teeth. "Damn it, things have gotten dire."

"Hold on, everyone things are about to get bumpy!" Jessica stated turning the steering wheel. The ship shook due to the turn causing Usagin to fall against the wall while Erza to fall on top of Jellal and Wendy.

Jellal and Erza abruptly got up looking away completely flustered. "Oh sorry."

"No problem."

Wendy was dizzy. "Wendy, this ship was built with dragon slayers' embark in mind, so, please, calm yourself and take a deep breath." Erza was perplexed by how the woman was aware of Wendy and her powers. "How does she know Wendy?"

Taking the mysterious woman's advice, she took a deep breath and felt no effects of motion sickness.

The young girl took in the view of the mysterious woman. "Oh...wait...it's you."

"Acnologia is given chase!" Ren declared with a smirk.

Jessica shared her guild mate's reaction. "Leading the convergence magic cannon. Jupiter, Rapid Spin!" Jessica had Christina do a rapid spin. "FIRE!"

The massive magic cannon beam was sent directly at Acnologia, who was seemingly hit. "Alright, bulls eye!" Jessica beamed with a thumbs up. Her cheering was short-lived when the black wing dragon swallowed the cannon's energy beam.

"He just ate it," She questioned.

"Switch out the ammo!" Eve ordered.

"Right, let's see if he can eat our 12omm Ammo!" Ren declared. "Assault Pegasus!"

"Do you think you can escape me?" Acnologia roared not feeling damage from the bullets. The wound he had gotten from Oden was seemingly bleeding, though, the destructive dragon ignored the wound.

"His speed is increasing!" Hibiki reported.

"Let's show him Pegasus Speed! Activate the Ignition to the Magic Propellor!" Eve stated.

The high speed of the Christina caused more shaking and this time Jellal fell on top of Erza. "I'm sorry!"

"No problem!"

Wendy continued to stare at the blonde woman. "Y-you are..." Ichiya turned the steering wheel. "Stabilizing!"

"I see that you remember me," The blonde woman smiled sweetly.

"Anna...sensai..."

"Sensai...as in teacher?" Erza questioned in surprise.

"I'm the ancestor of a close friend of yours, Lucy Heartfilla we both come from the family." The woman introduced herself.

Erza did understand a little though she was still a bit puzzled at this revelation. "I don't get it much about what you mean?"

Jellal was eager to know the plan of defeating Acnologia. "I don't care who you are, but, what was that talk about defeating Acnologia?

Usagi put his arm out in front of the former fugitive. "Jellal, let her speak." Jellal turned to look at the rabbit mink, who looked at him." I know that you're eager as we are, but, if she has an idea, the least, we can do is hear her out."

Anna was glad to hear and she didn't seem surprised a talking rabbit. "Ah, a rabbit mink from the Mink Tribe, interesting, I didn't think your kind would be here but I have to assume that the dragon slayers and their friends met you."

"That's right," Wendy spoke getting her former teacher's attention. "I met Usagi's friend Pango, who was drifting on a raft, and we eventually reunited him with Usagi and the two minks Tigress and Temukai." Anna chuckled lightly. "I see."

Erza had more questions to ask upon hearing Anne's awareness of Minks. "Wait, how do you know about the Mink Tribe?"

Anna saw no problem answering that. "Let's just say I know and that I'm aware of the gateways that travel to other worlds I used to hear about them but I never went into those other worlds. Though, I can say that I know someone who went to those worlds." Usagi, Wendy, and Erza gasped. "The first world has an empire that was corrupted, the second has a world where pirates rule, and the third world has a world of magic and advanced technology."

"Wait, is she saying that there's another world besides the ones that Night Raid and the Strawhats are from?" Erza wondered in thought.

"Anyway..." Anna looked down at Wendy and hugged her gently. "I'm glad that you're alright, you've grown so much. I'm sorry about Grandeeney and the other dragons, though, I can assure you that their task wasn't in vain."

Usagi approached Lucy's ancestor and put his hand out. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Anna Heartfilla." Anna pulled away from Wendy and shook the rabbit mink's hand. "Same here, Usagi." She then looked at the others. "As for your question about why I'm here, about 400 hundred years ago, I was the teacher of Wendy, Natsu, Gajeel, and the other dragon slayers. "I came here with the dragons to this age through Eclipse, the year X777 all to defeat Acnologia."

Gray, Lucy, Happy, Robin, Brook, Luffy, Leone, Akame, Chelsea, and Ace went to the park taking in what Mavis had told them.

Lucy was holding the book of E.N.D. sitting with Gray and Happy. Robin was standing on the left side of the bench the three wizards were sitting on.

Brook was pacing a little. "Mavis's story about Natsu's origin is quite puzzling."

Robin was leaning against the wall lost in her thoughts. "Indeed, Zeref's books and his demons are quite mysterious, more than I thought."

Leone had her hand on her head. "Damn, this is giving me a headache, this talk about Natsu's origin is not making much sense."

Chelsea was utterly stunned. "Man, I figured Natsu's past was a crazy one, but, this is more than I can understand."

Akame just had a calm expression, though, she didn't say a word.

Lucy overheard their words, she was quiet for a moment as tears fell down her cheeks. "Sniff...sniff..."

Brook heard the girl's sobbing. "Lucy, what is wrong?"

Lucy looked at the book. "It's just...Natsu's life as a book...is so...unbelievable...he's more than that..." She lifted her head. "Why is this happening...why...why..."

"Yeah...Natsu isn't...a demon...he...can't be..." Happy sniffled.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Luffy snapped stomping his foot creating a big thud on the concrete ground.

Lucy and Happy jumped from the rubber boy's outburst as the book that Lucy was holding almost fell from her hands. Gray growled at the straw hat pirate. "What the hell was that for?" He asked almost angry.

"I don't care if Natsu is a demon or from some book, he's still our friend no matter what!" Luffy declared with a serious look on his face. "Your friend Mavis seems to know that you guys are the only ones that can save him and all you're doing is crying like a bunch of babies!"

Lucy was silent as she lowered her face while Happy continued to sniffle. Gray stood up from his seat glaring at the straw hat pirate captain. "Listen you insensitive idiot, Lucy and Happy are just confused and scared, there is no reason to yell at them so cut them some slack!"

"Luffy is right," Ace interrupted getting the others to look in his direction. "As a moron as my brother is, he's got a point, if Mavis is sure that you three can save Natsu, then you should take her word for it."

Akame had to agree. "He's right, I know this is confusing and scary to you guys, but we feel the same way." She smiled a little. "Right now, you must figure out a way to save Natsu and Mavis believes that you three can find a way." Gray was about to argue some more until he felt a hand grab his wrist making him turn his head.

Lucy wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry...you guys are right, crying isn't going to get our answers to save Natsu." She turned to look at Gray. "Gray, we need to take Master Mavis' word and do what she wants to do to save Natsu."

Happy wiped his tears away. "Aye..."

Gray sighed as his anger was gone. "I suppose you're right." A small smile appeared on his face and he looked back at Luffy, Ace, and Akame. "Thanks for the pep talk."

Luffy, Ace, and Akame smiled in return.

"Yohohohoh...no surprising, classic Luffy," Brook laughed.

"Akame is wise as ever," Leone praised with a proud smile.

Chelsea giggled softly without saying a word.

Robin giggled in agreement.

"Guys, I think I might know what Mavis was saying," Happy pointed at the book. "I think she wanted us to open the book."

Gray was thinking about Zeref's plan. "Should we inform the others of Zeref's true plan?" Gray mumbled though, Lucy seemingly heard him but not his words. "What was that, Gray?" The ice mage glanced at her but then he looked at Robin, Akame, and Leone who noticed his reaction and shook their heads, signaling him not to say a word.

Lucy noticed the three girls and Gray's faces seemingly wondering what they were trying to say to each other. "What is it, you guys?" Gray smiled in return. "It's nothing, anyway, let's do this and open that book."

B

Anna began to explain her story. "About 400 years ago, we had no way to fight Acnologia. I was also told even before that there were races known as the Ancient Ones and that was before my time about 200 years before dragons came. The Ancient ones were gathered by my late great-grandmother Annabelle, together they traveled the three worlds, with every tech, weaponry, and machinery they saw. After years of studying them and making other people's lives better, the time of the dragons had come causing chaos and destruction. The Ancient Ones and their people joined in the war and my late grandmother Annabelle led the entire army with her trusted companions. Unfortunately, their strength wasn't enough to overcome the dragons."

"Wait, so, you're saying before the dragons wage war on humanity, your grandmother gathered other races to help improve lives before more magic was in the atmosphere?" Jellal inquired.

"Yes, and as I mentioned, my grandmother and her companions weren't able to defeat the dragons not even Acnologia, things were becoming more dire than ever," Anna replied.

"So, if the gateways were created by these Ancients Ones, but, how does that involve your family?" Usagi asked.

"As insane as it might sound, Heartfilla Family was one of the Ancient Ones." Erza, Usagi, Wendy, and Jellal gasped with wide eyes.

"You've got to be kidding," Jellal said almost feeling like he received the shock of his life.

Erza had a question of her own. "That doesn't explain how the gateways weren't in the history of the Magic Council, I mean, how come nobody had any knowledge of them?"

"You might say that things have changed when magic became more in our world," Anna replied. "So, as magic became more of a reality to our world, the knowledge of the gateways soon became a forgotten memory until this day."

"Does that mean Zeref traveled to these worlds, I mean, we were told that he meant some people in those worlds," Erza said.

Anna closed her eyes. "If you say that you meant some people you encountered from Zeref's past, we can assume that's the case." She opened her eyes. "Anyway, back to my story, Acnologia was so powerful almost every country was lost, things were grim, so the dragons created a plan to bring hope to the future."

Wendy had a pretty good idea of what plan Anna was talking about. "Plan, you mean the plan of dragons entering people's bodies, right?"

Anna nodded. "Correct, on top of that, the dragons that were in the human bodies traveled 400 years later in the future and into this era."

Erza understood that last part. "Yes, our era is overflowing with magic, though, how were the gateways that were used to travel through other worlds used if magic in that era was poorly lacking?"

"There were two reasons, first the gateways had unique keys to activate them. Take the second gateway to leads to the world of pirates for example, the dimensional lacrima that was created using sea prism material and magic energy was able to open the portal. However, finding the gateway was difficult because it was hiding on a giant island turtle." Anna explained.

Erza, Jellal, and Wendy gasped in surprise. "Guess that would explain why the portal appeared from underwater."

"Yes, though the giant island turtle doesn't stay in one place, so, a special key to used to locate the turtle and freeze the creature preventing it from moving for a least month or so." Anna continued.

Usagi put his hand under his chin. "So, the Ancient Ones created special items are somewhat keys to activate the gateways and that I guess the Dimensional Lacarmias were another key as well."

"Anyway, I hoped the gateway from my era, which was created by Zeref," Anna informed.

Jella narrowed his eyes. "Zeref..." Anna nodded. "He studied time and learned how to use it, but despite his research, he wasn't able to make traveling to the past a reality...still, I believe he trusted the future."

"How you were able to connect to this era?" Usagi asked.

"That was done by my descendant Layla Heartfilla, I opened the entrance and she opened the exit," Anna replied.

Erza wasn't expecting that answer. "Lucy's mother was involved in this?"

"Yes, I came along to explain the situation and raise the dragon slayers until they were ready," Anna keeping her balance steady. "All of them were children still, so much to learn, though, something happened. All of you were split apart, you, Gajeel, Natsu, Sting, and Rogue. It took me a lot of time to track you down, however, once I found that you had your own lives in this era I decided to wait until due time."

"So, what made you decide to come the open?" Usagi asked.

"I discovered something unthinkable, I'm not sure if it caused the incident at the gates or something else did. So, I decided to investigate this thing and that's when I realized that this thing had power that was remarkably huge and dangerous. Maybe, it's not a power but something similar to universal law."

Erza didn't understand much of what Anna was describing. "I'm not understanding what you're saying, can you give more details?"

"Yes, I call it "Rift in Time"." A darkened yet serious expression was seen on Anna's face. "A power that'll send Acnologia to the emptiness of nothingness."

Back to the year of X777

Capital of Fiore, Crocus

Anna traveled through the eclipse gate and was greeted by Layla and the king. Explaining the situation of the incoming danger of Acnologia.

"So, the gateway that does connect different times and you opened it," Layla said. "I thank you for that." She showed me a book. "I have details of the gateways that had the power to travel to other worlds, do you think we can require some help from them?"

Anna shook her head. "Our late great-grandmother did her part, so, there isn't time to travel, if Acnologia caught wind of those gateways, he could travel to those worlds and bring havoc thus bringing countless deaths to innocent."

"I see, that's alright," Layla replied with a nod. "Anyway, this book had the details of the Ancient Ones, does this mean our great-grandmother's allies are..."

Anna looked down with a frown. "Yes, her companions are lost, I can't imagine how much that hurt her, though, she kept living on for their sake as well as the future." The king approached the two. "I don't get it, are you saying that there are other worlds that we can travel to."

"Anna glanced at the small old king. "Correct, however, we don't have the time to gather allies from those worlds and the last thing we need is to bring more havoc to those worlds. Besides that, I needed someone to open the gate to this era which Layla did, so, I traveled from 400 years ago."

Toma E. Fiore was stunned with a gaping mouth. "Wait, you traveled from 400 years ago, that's astonishing!"

"I see, well, I don't know if you figured out my reason, but, I chose to open in my time because my daughter, I want her to have a free life, so, I'll be the one to end this duty." Layla declared.

Anna was glad to hear that from her granddaughter. "Thank you for everything, Layla. I'm proud of my lineage for having followed my mission. You've done a wonderful job." Layla was flattered by the gratefulness. "It was nothing."

A short time later, Anna looked over the balcony having some deep thoughts. "To think that magic in this era is more than I thought." She began to recall the Ancient Ones. "The Wild Ones, Devil Imps, Tech, and Archangels, if only a few of your people survived." She clenched her hands tightly. "Well, I'll just be sure your deaths weren't for nothing." She eventually left as the king and her descendant Layla saw her off.

F

"A few days later, I learned of her passing," Anna placed her hand on her head looking distressed.

Wendy felt sorry for her teacher. "Sensei.."

Anna regained her composure. "The power I investigated isn't an element...it isn't light nor darkness...its...the very nothing itself."

"The "nothing"?" Jellal questioned.

"Such a type of power shouldn't exist in this era or any for that matter. After investigating it, I found out what it was, the Timeplase!" There was a moment of shock in the air as Erza, Wendy, Jellal, and Usagi were speechless.

"It appears that our crossing of the gate from 400 years ago... distorted the fabric of time itself. It created a hole of sorts, an interval where there is no time nor space inside of it nothing exists."

Jella found his voice. "So that would include even Acnologia?"

"Correct," Anna replied with a nod.

Usagi thought otherwise. "Whether we think it exists or not, if this time-lapse has the power to trap Acnologia, we should take her word for it." Anna was happy to hear the rabbit's words.

Wendy had thought of this. "Wait, we opened the gate again during the Grand Magic Games, is that also related to this time-lapse." Her teacher nodded. "Yes, back then the hole itself did react to the gates opening."

Erza was stunned. "A hold?" Anna took hold of a round object in her hand. "Yes, it's a hole in time, though truth be told, it isn't bigger than this tangerine. Now that the dragons are gone, this hole rests as our final hope."

Ichiya arrived and showed a screen detector. "Ladies and gentlemen, our plan is simple, we'll swiftly dodge the time-lapse and wait for Acnologia. Then, we'll bait him into coming after us and...Men!"

That plan that Ichiya presented seemed too easy, which Erza thought as well. "This sounds too easy, do you think it'll work?"

Anna had a serious look on her face. "It has to, we have no other choice."

The unknown realm

Gozuki and Babara were having a private chat with Annabelle.

"So, you want to help me give your kids a second chance?" Annabelle asked.

"Yes, we were hoping that you know any spells that give our children a second chance at life," Gozuki said hopefully.

Annabelle frowned slightly. "I-I'm...sorry, I don't have that power...though, I must ask why do you wish for me to revive your children?"

Gozuki clenched his fists. "As much as I hate to admit it, there were things I never saw. Things I was blind to because of my selfish goals and because of that, my children...died under my watch." He even began to think about Akame. "Though, one of my former..." He quickly cleared his throat. "I mean, one of my children survived and was able to overcome obstacles that I didn't think was possible."

Babara had a good hunch of what her former enemy was talking about. "Annabelle, as you probably figured out, we're from the world where the corrupted empire was. You said you traveled there, though, what you might've not known as a lot of poverty and corruption has plagued the entire capital including villages and towns from outside." She remembered the days as a young girl. "When I was a child, I saw countless people lose their lives, I kept killing to survive and I eventually became a leader of the group. Which you know as the Oarburgh Clan."

Annabelle let out a small groan. "I see, I remember the capital had some problems when I traveled there with my former comrades, however, it seems things there got more dark than I originally saw."

Gozuki nodded. "Indeed, I was trained to be an assassin for the empire I worked with. I was the leader of the Rakshara Demons and they gave me the position of training new assassins who showed promise. I bought them and took them in as my children, however, due to my job as an assassin I wasn't able to bond with them deeply as much as I did." He had a look of guilt and regret on his face. "Though I realize that I could've spent time with them, but because of my duty I wasn't able to bring myself to bond with my kids as much." He gritted his teeth as a faint feeling he had was building up inside him. "I lost my children in so many battles which affected the others, though, I told them to cast their feelings aside and it worked. But, there was one child that showed emotions...more than the others did."

"Who was this child's name?" Annabelle asked curiously.

"Akame...she was the only one that showed emotions...more than any of my other children...I even found out she began to question our duty as assassins protecting the empire. I didn't take her questioning well, instead, I told her to throw those thoughts away or she'd be trouble." The feeling of guilt and regret built up more inside him. "Fact is, I was always following orders from the empire, I became used to it and never questioned their orders. Truth is, I did understand Akame's questioning, though, I didn't accept her way of thinking because I feared that would get her killed, in other words, I thought that beliefs like that was going through her head wasn't going to play out right."

Annabelle had a question of her own. "So basically, you're saying that Akame's way of thinking is something that wouldn't accomplish anything but death?"

Gozuki looked straight into the ancient spirit's eyes. "Yes, though, after reuniting with Akame and meeting new friends of hers, I think I can see that I was wrong."

Babara chuckled. "Really Gozuki, I never thought I'd hear that from you." Gozuki glanced his eyes at the old assassin's lady. "Though I can agree for once, it seems my grandchild Chelsea has gained a lot of new friends. I can imagine they supported both of our kids." She looked up in the air. "Our kids the ones we left behind have grown and I know they can continue to do so as long as they never give up."

Annabelle giggled getting the two former assassins' attention. "Well, I can see how much loyalty you have to your children despite what lifestyle you had." She looked at Gozuki. As for you, I can see that you regretted so much and realized the mistakes that you made, it takes a man to realize their wrongdoings." Gozuki blushed faintly turning his head away. "Anyway, I think I know of a way to that might give your kids another chance, though, it's a long shot."

Tom approached the three humans. "Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear you guys...but, I would like a favor to ask."

Back at the guild hall.

Natsu and Zeref continued their fight.

Things were getting tense and Natsu was looking winded. Zeref chuckled while his bangs covered his eyes. "You look a bit winded...you can't be done...YOU DISAPPOINT ME!" He put his left hand out front releasing a dark magic energy stream that struck Natsu in the stomach. "It'll be okay, I can go back in time to become the former self!" Natsu opened his eyes upon hearing that. "I call it: The Neo Eclipse!"

"The Neo Eclipse..." Natsu questioned in pain as his body was bound by a purple magic energy.

"Yes, with that power I can return to the time I became cursed...resetting time." Zeref declared with a darkened expression.

Natsu couldn't believe what he was hearing. "No...way...that's your goal."

"With that, nobody will be hurt and we'll take down Acnologia together and the happiness I wanted will be a reality!" Zeref continued.

Natsu saw the irony in Zeref's words. "If you do that...what will happen to my friends...the Fishmen...the minks...and Night Raid..." Zeref didn't have the answer. "I don't know, the face is I have no connection to this world."

"Not going to happen, we risked everything to survive to this day besides you think you can't accomplish this, it mustn't be easy!" Natsu shouted.

"Yes, I'm aware, but, I know the two keys opening the Eclipse. One of them is Mavis, we'll be together with her..." Zeref contineud while Natsu gritted his teeth even more. "The other key is...the Rift in Time."

Gray, Lucy, Happy, and the others discuss Natsu's origin. Though, from a little tough love from Luffy, he convinces them they should focus on finding a way to save Natsu so they get ready to open the book. Anna explains the plan of luring Acnologia into the Rift in Time and traps him. Annabelle has a conversation with Gozuki and Babara about reviving the kids they worked with when they were alive. Tom requests a favor as well. Natsu and Zeref continue to fight and then Zeref reveals his true goal to the Fairy Heart to travel back in time using the Rift in Time and Mavis(Fairy Heart).

End of chapter.