Chapter 43: Let Me See Your Smile

Erza continued up toward the meteor. She felt her Armament Haki going through her good arm and was soon covered in black metal and the sword's blade was too. "Armament Hardening..." She felt the sword's power increase her strength within her arm. "This...sword is more powerful than Oden made it out to be..." She smiled. "Oden, witness the power of Fairy Tail Titania!"

With one swipe of her sword, she cut the motor down into several chunks that struck the ground in different directions.

Erza dived down once more still using her Armament Haki. "You might've cut through my meteor, but, you can't cut through my scales!"

"You forget, the power I gain is Armament Haki, I can combine it with a weapon!" Erza declared.

"What?" Irene replied in shock.

Wendy got up. "Still I need to...help..." Then she saw Oden put his arm out in front of her. "It's fine...her haki is strong..." The young dragon slayer looked at the samurai who had a confident smile. "Not only that, she's using the Haki with Emma, she's surely to land a blow on her enemy."

"Erza One Sword Style: Sky Dive Slash!" Erza landed a long straight diagonal slash on Irene's dragon chest leaving a large long gash as her mother roared in agony.

"She did it!" Wendy cheered.

"Erza One Sword Style...that's catchy..." Oden sweatedropped at Erza's choice of names.

Usagi chuckled sheepishly. "Your sword style has your name too." Oden almost could facefault at that comment.

Irene reverted to her human form while Erza was lying down on the ground exhausted still holding on Emma.

The Twelve was silent while covering her face with her hand. In a second she picked up Emma. "You're nothing a thorn in my side...that's all you are to me..." Suddenly Emma started to give off a strong shockwave which caused the red-haired enchanter to drop it in pain. "Damn, that sword..."

"That sword won't work for anyone...some of the legendary swords might hurt someone if they aren't capable of using them," Oden stated as a big grin formed on his face. "However, I can see Erza Titania Scarlet is a capable swordsman. More than I can see.'

Irene sneered at the samurai. "Bastard..." She saw another sword that belonged to Usagi. "Perfect..." She picked it up and approached her daughter pointing the sword on her back. "Your life...ends...here..."

Usagi gritted his teeth. "No, I must've dropped it when she sent me flying." He attempted to find his other sword, but, he couldn't find it. "Damn...where is my other sword..." He barely could stand after the beaten he took from Irene's spell.

Erza laid her face aside and didn't speak though she had a faint smile on her face. Irene noticed this and remembered something.

F

Young Irene was next to the lake holding her baby Erza. "It's a girl...so...relieved...with her body...I can live a new life...I'll enchant myself into her body...after four hundred years...I can live with an actual body with the seed..." She was about to use her spell until she noticed her daughter wasn't crying but smiling with a cute giggle. "Stop...smiling...I endured so much pain for so many centuries...I earned this chance...she belongs to me..."

Another giggle was heard from baby Erza. "Stop...smiling...stop it..." Irene was bursting into tears. "No...stop it...no..."

F

Irene was still silent for a few seconds before she hissed in irritation. "Stop...smiling...stop it!" Just then she heard footsteps walking toward her and Oden approached her then slapped her hard on her left cheek.

Irene took a few steps back until she was able to regain her balance and hold her left cheek which was red from the slap. "Enough of this nonsense!" Oden demanded with an angry face. "I can see it in your eyes, you truly care for Erza!"

Irene glared at the samurai, who continued. "You may be able to hide it from the others, but, I can see how you truly feel!" Oden felt like he was going to cry, but he kept his composure. "THE MISERY, THE PAIN, AND THE TRAGEDY THAT YOU ENDURE HAS MADE YOU LIKE THIS. SO STOP LYING TO YOURSELF AND WAKE UP FROM YOUR FOOLISHNESS!"

Erza leaped up with the little strength she had and headbutted her mother in the chin. "I AIN'T GIVING UP!"

With that, Erza fell once more due to exchaustion and Irene was sent flying until she landed a few feet away. "I still have your rabbit friend's sword..." She said quietly and raised the sword. Then she turned the sword's blade at her and stabbed herself in the chest.

Oden, Erza, Usagi, and Wendy were taken by surprise. "Why..."

"This is pathetic...I'm supposed to be the most powerful woman in Alvarez," Irene said. "Still..." She had a sad smile on her face. "I can't bring myself to kill my daughter..."

"Why?" Erza lifts herself slightly.

"Why...good question..." Irene lowered her head as she got on her knees while throwing Usagi's sword to the side. "I tried to hide for so long..."

F

"I didn't fail to do the enchantment...I couldn't bring myself to do it..." Irene confessed and remembered that she brought her baby to the church. "You so innocent...so beautiful...I chose to abandon you." She placed on the church's doorstep and sobbed quietly.

F

"Zeref...your old friend Oden was right...I was hiding what I truly felt...he has my respect." She then looked at her daughter. "Erza...your smile...reminded me..." Irene started to fall slowly forward as in slow motion. "Deep down, this fake body...this flesh...inside my heart I truly loved...you." Upon hearing that seemingly touched Erza.

With that, Irene's body was lying motionless with a smile of her own.

Oden lowered his face without saying a word.

Erza looked at her dead mother with sympathy. "Mother... goodbye." Wendy approached her friend and started healing her body for a few seconds. "Hey, are you okay?"

Erza rolled over and sat up. "Yeah, emotionally anyway, I know she went through misery and that drove her to this, though, I still see Makarov as my true parent."

Usagi stood up and wiped off Irene's blood of his sword the sheathed it back. "Yes, it's a pity she had to die, if she had a strong will, she could've been a member of Fairy Tail." Erza chuckled a bit, though, she did kind of wish that would happen. "Perhaps...though, I can pray that she'll rest in peace."

Oden took one of his swords back and approached the three. "I'm glad that you three are safe."

Erza smiled. "Oden, you helped us out too, thank you. Also, again, I'm grateful to your friends for saving Makarov. Everyone in Fairy Tail and I are in your debt."

Oden chuckled with a grin and a faint blush. "Aw...no need to be so sentimental on me." His body began to flash weirdly.

"What is wrong with your body?" Usagi asked.

"It seems that I don't have much time left, with the Twelve that brought me back defeated, my body will vanish," Oden replied looking at his hand.

"Wait, if that's true, then how are you and your friends still here?" Erza asked.

"Good question, though I can only speculate that it's the desire within our hearts or because our spirits are stronger," Oden guessed putting his hand under his chin. "Honestly, I'm not sure, but who cares, I'm going to make the most of the time I have left."

Erza nodded. "Very well, let's go." Oden then had an idea. "I owe you and your friends for saving Usagi and his friends including Fishman Island and I think I know how I can repay you." He ripped part of his cloth. "You got a pen or something?"

Erza could tell he wanted to write something down, but, didn't know what, though she couldn't pass this down so she used a little magic to grab a marker from the spatial space. "Here you go." Oden took the marker and wrote down something.

"What is it that you're writing down?" Wendy asked curiously.

Usagi chuckled with a smile getting his two guild mate's attention. "You'll find out after we win this war."

Natsu was now in a mysterious lava area.

"The dragon and demon seed are merging, when that happens you'll die."

Natsu lowered his head looking a bit down. "So, I'll die...soon...this sucks...I mean I still got to beat Zeref and Acnologia..."

Bonk

Natsu felt a certain punch on his head. "Hey, what'd you do that for? I was already feeling crappy!"

Igneel pointed his finger at his son. "I'm not finished talking, there's more I need to say so listen up." He put two fingers up. "First, remember those two seeds would spell your death, but, to stop that, you must choose one of the other."

Natsu was confused even more before. "Chose one, what do you mean?"

"Look back and reflect on what you truly are, are you a dragon or a demon?" Igneel asked.

Natsu thought hard as he recalled every battle he fought, crazy adventures, and hard tough hardships he experienced with his friends. "Am I a dragon or demon..." He recalled fighting against Gray, though, he remembered the good times and spending time in the world where Night Raid and the world of pirates. The new friends he made was something he would treasure for his entire life as a small smile was forming his face.

Igneel saw Natsu's reaction. "I can see you found your answer, right?"

His son looked at him with a serious look yet he kept his smile. "I have, I'm a human, one that protects his friends and family...will fight those that bring harm!"

"I'm impressed you found the right answer, you were reborn by a demon's power..." Igneel said with a proud smile. "And, you were raised by a dragon, but in your heart, you're a human...I'm proud of you."

Natsu smiled. "Thank you...father..."

With that, Natsu sat up waking.

Happy hugged his best friend. "Natsu, I was so scared!" Natsu looked at Lucy with a casual look. "Is there a reason why you're naked?"

Lucy realized she was still naked despite being covered in a blanket.

Chopper was relieved and hugged Natsu too. "Thank goodness!"

Porylusica came walking down the stairs. "It was the only way to warm you up, so, you should be thanking her."

Leone and Akame came down the stairs too. "Hello."

"Akame, Leone" Chopper cried out.

"Well, looks like you two are busy," Leone teased holding back her laughter.

"Cut that out!" Lucy squeaked looking flustered.

"Anyway, how are you feeling?" Porylusica asked.

Natsu was silent for a second until he smiled brightly. "Awesome, I feel fired up!"

Lucy was unsure about one thing. "But, are you sure, if you kill Zeref, you'll die too." Natsu slammed his hand onto the hay and looked toward Happy. "No way, you told her and others that!?"

Happy felt seemingly bad. Natsu turned to look at Lucy. "Don't worry, I won't die, I'm sure of it. I solved what was going on inside my head and I'm human."

"O-okay..." Lucy said still unsure.

"Speaking of, where are Gray and the others?" Natsu asked.

"Erza and the others are still out fighting. Gray, Miyaka, and Juvia are resting in the next room. Sanji and his group went off to assist the fight."

Suddenly the ground emitted red lights. "What...is this?" Leone asked.

"The red light, I've seen this before!" Happy pointed out.

The red light emitted from everywhere in Fiore and glowed brighter. The king saw that his daughter transformed into her normal self and hugged each other joyfully.

August saw this and came to conclusion of what reason. "Irene has fallen...she must have..."

Zeref saw this from the guild hall. "Irene's spell is reversed...everything is going back to the way it was."

Natsu, Lucy, Chopper, Leone, Akame, and Happy were back in Lucy's apartment.

"Akame, Leone, how'd you get at my place now!" Lucy exclaimed seeing the two former assassins.

Leone chuckled with a grin. "Not sure, but, who cares about the details." Akame just smiled in agreement.

Natsu had to agree with Leone's statement. "She's right, all we have to do is walk down the street." He punched his fists together. "And head to Fairy Tail!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy beamed.

"Oh yeah!" Leone punched her fists together too.

Akame smiled. "Right."

"Alright!" Chopper yelled with determination.

With Irene defeated her spell was reversed bringing the entire land back to normal. Natsu's secret about his fate is soon revealed to Lucy, Leone, Akame, Chopper, and Happy, though, Natsu claims he won't die. Now, the next step is to go to the Fairy Tail guild and fight Zeref. What will happen next, find out next time.

End of chapter.