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KEEPING SECRETS CHAPTER 16- SUNNY DISPOSITION

"I'm very impressed with what you've been able to teach Natsu in such a short amount of time, Invel."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but your brother put in the majority of the work. You should be congratulating him."

"Oh, I plan to. You know, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine Natsu would join me here in Alvarez... and even more that he would be so well behaved. I still remember how chaotic he was when he was little, and from my understanding, he's not been all that different since joining Fairy Tail."

"Based on our reports, as well as your descriptions of him, Natsu's good behavior has surprised me as well. When I asked him about it, he acknowledged his destructive tendencies, but said he was trying to keep himself in check for your sake. He talked about how bad he felt as a child when he destroyed a fort you had built in the woods, and how he tried to be more careful after that."

"Huh. I do remember that... I had no idea it affected him so much." Zeref smiled, remembering his simpler days. Soon... we'll have those days back soon, Natsu, and we'll do it right, this time. Snapping out of his thoughts, "I don't think things could be any better if asked..."

As Invel opened his mouth to reply, both men were nearly knocked off their feet as the palace shook suddenly. The tremor ceased, and Zeref and Invel looked at each other in shock. "What was that?"

"I don't know Your Majesty... Vistarion isn't near any fault lines... certainly we're not under attack?"

Zeref shook his head. "Even if we were, this palace is built to withstand the worst of bombardments. No, they would have had to do some significant damage for us to start actually feeling the tremors...that explosion came from inside the palace, and somewhere close." Zeref's eyes widened as an unwanted thought came to mind. "Did we just... jinx things?"

"If I may, Your Majesty, that's a bit of a stretch. There's probably a perfectly logical explanation for what that wa-"

As the two turned a corner, Invel cut himself off in shock as they looked in front of them, to find a decent sized part of the wall caved in, with Natsu, fists aflame, glaring angrily at the new opening.

"Natsu! What did you do?!" Zeref shouted.

Natsu turned, and as he saw Zeref and Invel, his furious expression melted into shock.

"Whoops."

Upon realizing what Natsu had done, Invel and Zeref panicked. Invel stayed with Lord Ashford's unconscious form while they waited for the paramedics to arrive, while Zeref drug his brother to his office. When he demanded an explanation, the black wizard buried his head in his hands when Natsu explained what had happened- and the conversation he and Ajeel had the other day.

"This is awful."

Natsu crossed his arms. "I don't see what's so awful about it. I tried to warn him. Guy got what was coming to him."

Zeref sat up for a moment, running his hand across his face in exasperation. "Natsu, do you remember the first meeting you attended with the Twelve, outside meeting them, and God Serena's, Ajeel's, and Larcade's challenges?"

"Nah, not really."

"Why am I not surprised? We were talking about a lord who was upset about new trade laws going into effect." Natsu stared at him blankly and Zeref sighed. "And said lord is Lord Ashford's nephew- and governor of the province of Devereaux. Things were already tense between us. This might set him over the edge... and then we'll have a real crisis on our hands."

Before Natsu could reply, the door to Zeref's office flung open and Invel strode in. He narrowed his eyes at Natsu and then addressed Zeref, "Lord Ashford is in the I.C.U. I spoke with Dr. Williams, and he should pull through... but the trauma he sustained to his head is serious and will likely cause permanent impairment of brain function and severe memory loss."

Zeref sighed. "I don't know if that's better than what we could have hoped for, or worse."

"I don't know either. But what I would like to know-" Invel said, turning to Natsu, "Is why you thought it was a good idea to blow Lord Ashford through a wall."

"He insulted Zeref, and when I told him to knock it off, not only did he do it again, but he also insulted the Twelve- and Fairy Tail!"

Invel's voice was tense. "So you punched him through a wall?!"

"Hell yeah I did! Ajeel was telling me about how his dad gives everyone a chance if they insult his friends or family, but if you do it again, he throws you out of his castle."

Invel exhaled deeply and growled "Ajeel..." under his breath before saying, "Do you know how much trouble Ajeel's father has caused us through the years? How many lawsuits we've had to settle for his rash actions? If he weren't so beloved by his other subjects, he'd be the one getting thrown out of his castle! And what about what you told me the other day, about your childhood and His Majesty's fort? That you didn't want to cause chaos?"

Natsu scowled. "Well now that you bring it up, I never told you part two of that story. One day I went back and started playing in Zeref's fort while he was studying or whatever, and while I was in there, the village blacksmith's annoying kid showed up and started mouthing off about how stupid Zeref's fort was and started smashing it. So I grabbed a big stick and hit him with it til he ran out of the woods crying!" Natsu looked very satisfied with himself when he finished the story.

Zeref frowned. "You know the blacksmith doubled his prices for Dad after that, right?"

Natsu's proud look fell and was replaced by something that could be described as a mixture of confusion and embarrassment. "Huh?"

The door to Zeref's office opened again, and August entered. "What happened? I just heard there was an explosion near Parliament's chamber."

"Indeed, and the source of said explosion is in the room with us now." Invel said, glaring at Natsu.

Natsu repeated his side of things to August, who listened with wide eyes. After Natsu finished retelling the story again, August looked deep in thought for a moment before he said, "Well, it's a good thing that section of the palace was marked for renovation anyway."

Zeref cocked his head. "What?"

Invel's brow furrowed. "August, that part of the palace isn't scheduled for renovation."

August shook his head. "Oh no, I believe it is. After all, it's my understanding there were several old and decaying gas lines there that were in desperate need of replacement."

Zeref's eyes widened. "August... don't tell me..."

"I'd wager someone was smoking nearby, unaware of a leaking line. And if Lord Ashford hadn't happened to walk by and shove Natsu aside, Alvarez could have lost its prince. Truly, despite our differences, the man is a patriot and hero. He couldn't have forged a better ending to his political career if he tried." August gave the others in the room a knowing smile.

"August," Invel said sternly. "We are NOT deceiving the public with such an outright lie."

"Forgive me, Invel, I simply thought it'd be better if we keep Natsu's name clean in this matter... After all, if this caused a fuss with the Ashford family, Natsu could end up in serious trouble. And not counting the strain that would place on His Majesty's fragile mental state, may I remind you, that while they wield considerable influence, the Ashfords are not well liked by the common folk. If they were to pursue some type of legal action against Natsu, who already is beloved by the general population, we could have anarchy on our hands. And we might not be able to protect the Ashfords from any retaliation public mobs could-"

"Fine, I see your point." Invel cut the smiling old man off. "Natsu, before I give the press August's fabricated statement on Lord Ashford, I want you to understand something. You CANNOT punch people through walls here just because they say something you don't like. However, if someone speaks to you again like Lord Ashford did, they can face punishment for defying a direct order from a member of the Imperial family- and with statements like the emperor 'is a relic of a soon to be obsolete empire' they could face charges of treason. They certainly wouldn't get to walk away Scott free after saying something like that. But my point is, do not take justice into your own hands again. Do you understand?"

Natsu rolled his eyes but said, "Yeah, I guess so."

"Well, now that all that's settled, I'll get back to what I was originally here for. Your Majesty, Invel, do you both still plan on accompanying Natsu on his fishing trip tomorrow?"

Invel's face lightened significantly. "To be honest, I had forgotten about that. There has simply been so much to do, and now with all that's happened today, I'm sorry Natsu, I'll have to postpone-"

"Nonsense. I just came to let you know I'll be filling in for you tomorrow Invel, so please leave any work that you know needs done somewhere I can find it easily."

"Are you sure, August? There's a lot-"

"Invel, with all due respect, who do you think picked up the slack when previous chief of staffs proved their incompetence?" August smiled knowingly again.

Invel sighed. "Alright, alright. Looks like we are on for tomorrow after all, Natsu."

Natsu grinned. "I'm all fired up now!"

Invel smiled before looking at Zeref. "What about you, Your Majesty? Natsu did mention he'd like you to come when we first discussed this little fishing trip."

"With you out of the office for the day, Invel, I'll need to stay behind to help August-"

"That won't be necessary, Your Majesty. I thought you might like to accompany Natsu and Invel, so Irene agreed to assist me in your stead tomorrow."

Zeref's eyes widened. "You got Irene to agree to do office work?"

"Irene is surprisingly easy to convince, if you ask nicely. And... buy her the right gift."

At that, Zeref looked unamused. "Of course, I should have known. And here I was thinking I could get out of it."

"Hey!" Natsu exclaimed. "Why would you want to bail?"

"Natsu, we're already in dangerous territory with my curse as it is, with what we have done together. I'm only trying to minimize the risk it poses for you." However, Natsu's gaze didn't falter. Zeref sighed, and admitted, "And... I've not gone fishing since... the attack on the village. Didn't feel right, without you or dad with me."

Natsu unraveled his scarf from around his neck and offered it to Zeref. "Well, I'm here with you now! And we got Igneel's scarf! Come on, it'll be fun!"

"You're not gonna let me say no, are you?" Upon Natsu shaking his head, the older Dragneel groaned, took the scarf from his brother and grumbled, "I doubt Igneel's scarf can ward off the curse permanently."

The younger Dragneel was unfazed. "Yeah, probably not. But it's working for now, right? Plus, we're leaving in a few days on our journey- and then we'll find the cure, and you won't need to steal it anymore!"

Zeref let out a dry laugh. "You make it sound so easy. Also, steal? Didn't you say it was practically mine too, since Igneel said I was like a son to him?"

"Eeh-" Natsu looked perplexed and struggled to come up with a rebuttal. Finally, a smug look came across his face, and he said, "You only wear black stuff anyway, so it doesn't fit your style."

"Natsu, half of what I wear is white." Zeref said flatly.

His brother's smug look disappeared into a look of irritation. "Whatever smartass."

Zeref smiled. "I might be an ass, but at least I'm smart. You however-"

"Go ahead and finish that, I dare you. Your wounds might heal instantly, but you'll be replacing that silly dress of yours with another tracksuit when I'm done with you, I promise you that!"

Zeref's nostrils flared. "We'll see about-"

"ENOUGH." Invel said sternly. He turned to Natsu, and reminded him, "You are still, until tomorrow morning, restricted to light activity only. Unless you want me to go tell Dr. Williams, you're disregarding his treatment, and you can have another week of bedrest..."

With that, Natsu was out the door, but not without yelling on his way, "Later August, Invel, cross-dresser!"

Before he met Invel and Zeref to leave for wherever Invel's favorite local fishing hole was, Natsu awoke early to go see Dr. Williams one last time, to confirm he was back to full health. After a quick checkup and look over, Dr. Williams told Natsu he was good to go.

"WOOOOO! FREEDOM!" Natsu yelled as he burst through the infirmary doors. "I'm all fired up now!"

"I'd ask if you received a good report, but that reaction is a bit hard to miss..."

Natsu heard Invel's voice and smelled him, but... he barely recognized the person in front of him. Instead of his dress shirt, tie, and overcoat, Invel was wearing a green-brown fishing vest and matching hat, and baggy rain pants. He couldn't help but laugh. "Invel- pfffft... what are you wearing?!"

Invel frowned. "I fail to see what's so amusing, Your Highness."

Natsu stopped laughing but was still grinning widely. "Sorry, really just not used to seeing you dressed like that. You look like a completely different person!"

Invel's stoic tone didn't change. "Is that so? I used to dress like this all the time, you know- albeit with considerably more layers. Dress for the task at hand."

"Right... still crazy you almost ended up an ice fisherman. Never would have pegged you for a small-town kid." Natsu said.

"I suppose it is a bit unheard of, isn't it." Invel smiled fondly. "Although, you and I are similar in that way. After all, I assume the village you and His Majesty grew up in was quite small. That said, I don't have any experience growing up being raised by a dragon or a rowdy wizard guild."

Natsu laughed. "Yeah, I guess you got me there. If you, at any point in my life before now, had come up and told me that I was royalty of any kind, I would have thought you were crazy."

Invel offered a small smile. "His Majesty had rarely spoken about his family other than you before, so hearing he was the child of a farmer and a housewife was a bit surreal. Imagining him as a child growing up in a rural village is a bit quaint, I admit."

"Yeah, he does... what do they call it... put on airs a lot, as they say." Natsu said, laughing. "He was the village know-it-all. Everyone got sick of listening to him ramble on about his theories and projects."

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me."

They heard a sigh ahead of them. "Not even properly on the way yet, and already jokes are being made at my expense. This is going to be a long day." The source of the voice stepped out of an alcove in the hallway in front of them, revealing Zeref- frowning, arms folded... and wearing the tracksuit Invel had so graciously acquired for him during his training sessions with Natsu several weeks ago.

"BAHAHAHAHA!" Natsu laughed loudly at his brother's appearance. "He finally takes off the dress! Victory!"

Zeref rolled his eyes. "I'm only wearing this to help keep attention off us. I'd like to get through the day without being recognized. And while I hate to admit it, this..." He gestured to his clothing, "is good for that. So, to that end-" Zeref stepped forward and firmly placed a ball cap on Natsu's head. "Wear this. Your hair will get us recognized instantly."

Natsu scowled and took the hat off. "What's wrong with my hair?"

"His Majesty is right, Natsu, your hair color is far too distinctive. You've become rather well known throughout the empire now, especially in Vistarion, and it wouldn't take long for someone to recognize you. Unless of course, you'd rather spend the day being mobbed by and chatting with random strangers than fishing.

Natsu, who had been looking at the hat Zeref had given him, a plain black cap with the crest of the empire in green on its front, scowled for a moment, but then put the hat back on his head. "Man, you guys are ganging up on me now? I'm starting to feel like Zeref." He snickered.

"I'm not ganging up on anyone." Invel said in his usual serious tone. "I'm only being practical. On that note, I am glad to see His Majesty put the extra clothing I purchased for him to good use."

At that, Zeref scowled. "I can't believe you thought this," He said, gesturing to his tracksuit, "Was a good choice for a backup wardrobe for me. I had no idea your sense of humor was so juvenile, Invel."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Your Majesty. I simply wanted something economical that allowed for comfort and ease of movement. I see nothing funny about it."

Natsu's laughter at this echoed through the courtyard as their group made their way out of the palace gates and into the city proper. "You know, I could just teleport us there, if you would be so kind as to tell me where we're going. It would spare us the risk of getting recognized." Zeref said to Invel.

Invel, however, shook his head. "Part of the fun is getting there. It's a pleasant walk. Plus, it will give Natsu a chance to see more of Vistarion and what surrounds it."

"Yeah!" Natsu chimed in. "I've been stuck inside, so I've barely even seen the city!"

Zeref sighed. "Fine, but if we get recognized, I'm blaming the two of you."

The trio walked through the bustling streets of Vistarion, with Natsu thoroughly enjoying himself as he soaked in the sights of the empire's capital. He smiled as he watched the locals go about their day-to-day business, merchants yelling about their new inventory, families laughing together, and kids playing in the streets. For the capital of an empire known for its military might, it was surprisingly brimming with tranquility.

"Man, this place is huge!" Natsu said to Zeref and Invel. "Way bigger than Magnolia- and probably Crocus, too! There's so much going on!" He said, gesturing to the street vendors. Invel and Zeref both smiled a little at Natsu's enthusiasm. "What's that building there?" Natsu asked, gesturing towards an old but well-maintained two-story building on a street corner, which was bustling with people coming and going.

"Ah, that would be Leyton and Halifax Booksellers, the biggest bookstore in Vistarion." Invel explained.

"Oh, cool! Bet it's somewhere you frequent often?" Natsu asked, looking at Zeref.

Zeref nodded. "Most bookstores have nothing new under the sun for me, but I've been surprised with some of the rare texts I've found there. And occasionally they even have a title I've never even heard of. I'm not sure who their supplier is, but whoever they are, they're good- really good. They have everything you could ever want to read- from fiction to philosophy to magic theory." A slight smirk appeared on Zeref's face as he said, "If your friend Lucy ever comes to visit, I bet she'd love it there."

Zeref didn't miss the red that crept into his brother's face as he said, "Uhh... yeah! Maybe one day!"

As they continued their passage through the city streets, in addition to the places Natsu would ask about, Zeref and Invel threw out random bits of trivia- little remarks about a certain building's architecture they'd pass by, history of streets they'd walk down, and fun facts about the city's marketplaces. The longer they continued on their little journey, the streets became less and less busy, the buildings became more and more spaced out, and the foliage became more and more prominent. After they'd been walking about thirty minutes, all the hustle and bustle had disappeared, and they found themselves surrounded by a lush forest.

"Wow, it got green real quick!" Natsu said, noting the change in scenery.

Zeref nodded. "Vistarion was built in the shade of this forest, due to its proximity to the Fulda River. On this side of the continent, fresh bodies of water are rare, so it's no wonder this place grew like it did, regardless of the empire's involvement. A lot of it was cut down for expansion, as you could guess. But when I made Vistarion the empire's capital, I sectioned off a good chunk of what was left of the forest for protection. I didn't want all the natural beauty of the land to disappear in the name of 'progress.' Don't get me wrong, it's not wrong to change... it's just that it's important to try and preserve some of what came before."

Natsu grinned. "Reminds me of where Happy and me had our house outside Magnolia. I guess this is the first time in my life I've lived in a city. So, this reminds me of home- it's really nice! Do you guys come here a lot?"

"I certainly do." Invel answered. "It would be a waste not to. The peace and quiet here are great tools for cleansing one's mind after a long day, or week, at the office."

"I bet! What about you, Zeref?"

His brother shook his head. "This is the first time I've been here in many years. I don't wanna risk my curse acting up and killing the wildlife- or worse."

Natsu's expression faltered as his gaze shifted to Igneel's scarf, around Zeref's neck, darkening. He felt a pang of guilt rise up in him. I guess I really haven't thought about how hard it has to be for him to do things everyday people just take for granted... He shook the sad thought out of his head.

"Well don't worry, big brother." Natsu said, grinning at Zeref as he clapped him on the back. "You got me and Invel here to help you today. It'll be fine. Plus, it's only a few days before we set out on our adventure to find the cure- so once we get back, you shouldn't even have to worry about stuff like that anymore!"

As much as he wanted to point out how easy Natsu was making it sound breaking his curse was going to be yet again, Zeref found himself smiling and saying, "Yeah... I sure hope so, Natsu."

After several more minutes of walking, they came across a log cabin that contained a small camping store, where Invel, apparently a regular customer, led them inside, and began helping them pick out fishing polls, hooks, lines, and bait for the day. As the trio gathered their supplies, Natsu heard a familiar voice. Furrowing his brow, he looked towards its source to find an old, small lacrima vision mounted to the ceiling of the corner of the shop. On said lacrima vision was August.

"Hey! It's-"

"Shhhhh!" Zeref immediately hushed him. "Don't blow our cover, Natsu."

Natsu scowled for a moment but eventually nodded and looked back at the lacrima vision, wondering what August was talking about. It didn't take him long to figure it out.

"... believe this is how the faulty gas line ignited. While thankfully there were no fatalities, Lord Montgomery Ashford of Devereaux was severely injured from heroically pushing Prince Natsu out of harm's way. However, the injury to his mind is permanent, and due to this, Lord Ashford has made the decision to retire from his position as Devereaux's representative in the Imperial Parliament..."

August was cut off as the press room erupted into applause and cheers. Natsu snickered, especially when the camera focused on August, he could see the old man was attempting to keep a straight face but had a glint of amusement in his eyes.

Behind the counter, the store's owner had a good laugh too. "Good riddance! It's about time that old rat bastard did something worthwhile! Saving the prince and then retiring? Dammit, I can't help but admire him now!"

"Right?!" Natsu said as he brought his new fishing gear to the counter for the man to ring up. They shared a laugh and chit chatted about the press conference on the lacrima vision. Meanwhile, behind Natsu, Invel and Zeref exchanged a knowing look, and shook their heads.

Leaving the shop, Invel led them down a winding path, unassumingly branching off from the main trail through the overgrowth. "We are almost there- I assure you; it is worth the walk." The Winter General insisted as they, quite literally, went off the beaten path. Natsu heard water roaring the longer they walked, and sure enough, after just a few minutes of walking, the dense forest gave way to a view of a 30-foot-tall waterfall, where the river cascaded into a crystal-clear pool before continuing downstream. It was a breathtaking sight.

"Wooooowww." Natsu said, eyes widened at the view.

"Wow is right... I didn't even know this was here." Zeref said, clearly impressed.

"Despite its size, it's not a very well-known spot." Invel said, smiling. "I frequent here often."

They made their way along the river til they found a calm spot in the water, where they set up their gear. Almost immediately after setting up, Zeref noted how quickly Invel and Natsu had their lines in the water. He swore he could see them glancing at the other out of the corners of their eyes, clearly already having made a competition out of the day.

"Honestly, I'm a bit taken aback, Invel." Zeref said, as he sat on a rock and fiddled with the hook on the end of his line. "I never would have pegged you for a competitive type."

Invel, clearly having hooked something, quickly began drawing his line in. "I'm usually not. But being from a family of fishermen... This is a matter of pride. Sorry Your Highness, I can't allow you to beat me." He said this as stoically as ever, pulling a large catfish out of the water, smirking at his catch.

Natsu scowled. "Oh yeah, we'll see about that!" He said as he threw his line back into the water. After a few minutes, he felt a tug and pulled a decently sized Walleye out of the water. He beamed, but Invel wasn't paying attention, his focus solely on whatever was on the end of his line. Turning around, Natsu found Zeref still sitting on the same rock, still fiddling with the end of his fishing line. "You okay, Zeref? You haven't even tried to catch anything!"

Zeref looked up at Natsu. "I... uh..." He sighed, and Natsu noticed the scarf get a bit darker. "I don't like needlessly taking life, Natsu..."

Natsu shrugged. "You can just catch and release. Invel and I will save our best catches to eat later. You don't have to kill yours... but you don't need to sit there like a knot on a log either." He smiled.

Zeref hesitated a moment but smiled softly and nodded. He stood up, and walked over a few feet from Natsu, and cast his own line in the water. He stared into the water watching the bobber float around and smiled. He found the action surprisingly calming.

After a couple of hours, the trio decided to eat some of their catches. Natsu had to admit having someone on hand who could freeze things at will was incredibly handy, as Invel simply froze the fish they wanted to keep for later.

As they grilled their fish over a fire provided by Natsu, the dragon slayer found himself reminiscing about times grilling fish with Happy back at the guild. The fond memories also dredged up a pang of guilt in Natsu, realizing he let his friend go back to the guild, only to find no one, as Fairy Tail had been disbanded for months by the time Natsu and his exceed partner went their separate ways.

This must have shown on his face, because the next thing he heard was- "Natsu!" He finally looked up, finding Zeref staring at him with a concerned look on his face. "Are you okay? I called your name three times before you had any type of reaction."

Natsu sighed. "Yeah, I was just thinking... that day Happy and I went our separate ways... he went home to find... Well, that home was gone. If he somehow was able to backtrack to where we had gone our separate ways out in the wilderness... I would have been gone too. Between that and the whole thing with Lucy and Aquarius... man, I'm feeling like a real lousy friend these days."

"Natsu... that isn't something you should beat yourself up over. You aren't guilty of abandoning them... you just didn't know. Not knowing isn't a sin." Zeref's voice was low and laden with sympathy.

Natsu looked up at his brother, eyes widening. "Man, I must sound real pitiful if you're trying to give me a pep talk, Zeref." Zeref's eyes narrowed in irritation as Natsu laughed before he said, "Kidding. Thanks, brother. Brandish was tellin me the same thing when it came to Lucy and her losing her Aquarius key... it's just weird, you know. Back at Fairy Tail, if there was anything wrong or off between us, we'd fix it then and there... we were always around each other after all, so it never took long to work things out... or brawl things out." He laughed again and smiled, but his smile slipped as he said, "But now... everyone's so far apart from one another... and I don't know when I'll see them again. I don't know how to make it right."

The three of them sat quietly for a moment, before Invel said, "It sounds to me these insecurities you're feeling are surfacing because you miss your guild... which is understandable. Spending most of your life surrounded by them and then suddenly for them not to be there anymore would be odd for anyone." The ice mage paused for a moment before he said, "While it wouldn't solve the words you have left unsaid with them, might I suggest visiting Jacob in the intelligence department? I'm sure they'll have up to date information on your friends. Most of them are powerful mages, and fairly well known throughout Fiore as well."

"Heh..." Natsu chuckled a bit and then said, "You know, I actually did that just the other day... talking to Brandish about Aquarius's key gave me that idea. I was able to check up on everyone. Like I know Happy and Lucy are both fine. Happy's with Lamia Scale now, and Luce is writing for Sorcerer Weekly... but..." Natsu's face seemed to darken as he continued, "Gray... another mage on my team who I basically grew up with... he's joined a dark guild. If that wasn't bad enough, his reasons are even worse- to attract the attention of Zeref and... E.N.D." He said his own initials mockingly.

"Gray...Fullbuster. The ice mage, right?" Zeref asked, leaning back against a rock. Natsu nodded. "I read over your friends' files after you showed up, Natsu... Hey, don't give me that look. I knew you were gonna talk about them and I didn't want to have to ask for clarification every time you brought them up." He sighed before continuing, "It's no surprise. I ended up doing to him what was done to me... I destroyed his home, his family, and his mentor. Ironic isn't it." Zeref's hands suddenly flew to his head and his eyes flashed red. "Excuse me..." he said softly, before vanishing.

"Guess the scarf's at its limit..." Natsu muttered. "Thank God we basically have August on call." He leaned back, arms behind his head, looking up at the sky. "To tell you the truth... I'm... afraid. I don't know how to tell my friends the truth about Zeref and me. But... I won't accept anything less than a world where I can be with both my guild and my brother."

Invel brought a hand to his chin. "You wish to reconcile two worlds that won't easily coexist. I... understand that desire. And your fear."

Before either of them could say anything else, Zeref reappeared, scarf restored to its normal white color. Noticing the serious looks on their faces, he asked, "What are you two talking about?"

Natsu filled Zeref in, who then gave his younger brother a long, hard, and sorrow-filled look. "Like I often say, Natsu, reality is unkind. We don't always get what we want. I know that better than anyone."

"Yeah, maybe not." Natsu said, clenching his fists. "But... we can control our reality, at least to some extent. And since we can... I'm not giving up. I'll make a world where I can have both, no matter what I have to do."

They all sat in silence again. Zeref looked like he wanted to say something else to Natsu, but before he could, his brother spoke again, "What about you, Zeref? What kind of world do you want?" Natsu sat up and looked him in the eye. "Like, really want. Don't give me bs about despair or something stupid like that."

Zeref didn't immediately speak, but after several moments of nothing but the crackling of the fire, the roar of the waterfall, and the other sounds of the forest around them, Zeref, a bit timidly, said, "If I could have anything... it'd be impossible. But I'd want this curse and everything it's done... undone. I'd want Mom and Dad back. I'd want... a simple life, a life with Mavis... and maybe even some children. I'd live somewhere quiet, like your old house outside Magnolia. And of course... I'd like to continue to study magic." His lips curled into a small smile as he added, "Maybe even... teach it, in some type of capacity."

Zeref frowned again as Natsu chuckled. When he noticed his older brother giving him another annoyed look, Natsu clarified, "Nothing's wrong with any of that... just couldn't help but notice being emperor isn't on your list."

He glanced at Invel out of the corner of his eye, before admitting, "That's because... I'm not sure how effective of a leader I'd be without the curse. I've treated the empire as one big strategy simulation to occupy my cursed mind for so long, I'm not sure if I could actually manage it as a normal person."

Invel spoke before Natsu could; "Personally, I think you would be an even better leader. Even here, your curse has clouded your judgment at times, Your Majesty. But recognizing the value of the lives you lead... I understand why that would be an unsettling thought to you now, but I think ultimately it would allow you to make even better decisions."

Natsu nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, what he said! And hey, you could still be the emperor, even if you had all that other stuff you named. I mean, aren't you gone from here most of the time anyway?"

Zeref sighed. "Maybe I could. But, in the end, what I want doesn't matter. None of it is achievable."

Natsu's answer surprised Zeref. "Well, I mean, I don't think there's a way you can undo everything the curse has done... but the other stuff... who's to say you can't have all of that? We're already starting on making you curse free in a few days."

"Wh...no, that's ridiculous Natsu. Mavis is trapped in a lacrima. Mom and Dad are long dead. And if I left Alvarez, I'd be hunted to the ends of the earth. There'd be no settling down for me." Zeref insisted.

However, Natsu didn't look fazed by Zeref's words. Laying back and eyes staring at the sky, he said, "Well, yeah, but you said yourself she ain't dead... so there's got to be a way to get her to wake up. Also, if what Invel has told me about foreign affairs is true... say you moved next to me outside Magnolia. Wouldn't it be, like, a huge deal if someone attacked the leader of the world's most powerful country at his personal home? They'd have to be really stupid to try something like that. And as for mom and dad, well..."

Out of everything Natsu had said since re-entering Zeref's life, this next sentence stunned him more than he had been surprised by anything in recent (a century, give or take) memory.

"You brought me back, didn't you?"

"Wh- you can't be serious Natsu!" Zeref's voice rose in his disbelief at what Natsu was suggesting. "Yes, I brought you back- only to be cursed, and thousands to die at my hands- or the hands of my... followers" He growled the last word, his thoughts on the cults that worshiped him not needing to be repeated. "Even if this was worth considering, which it is NOT, would you really want them brought back, knowing how difficult it's going to be to untangle my magic from you and the rest of the etherious as many as there are?"

Natsu looked up at Zeref. "I mean, you wouldn't have to bring them back as etherious. That one guy from Tartaros... he brought Gray's dad back. And then there's the Tower of Heaven..."

Zeref furrowed his brow. "Keyes... I still don't know how he managed to pull off such a successful resurrection. When I first made him, the best he could do was reanimate some recently deceased corpses, which retained none of their sense of selves or intelligence. Even if he could do it again, he'd be doing it for two people... I doubt his curse could handle the strain. And the R system was nothing more than an overzealous theory, Natsu. The amount of energy it takes to power that spell is astronomical, and thus, an impossibility."

Natsu blew a raspberry. "You say that, but I almost saw the spell work right in front of me..."

"Yes, another misguided dark mage trying to revive me, who was still alive... It's a miracle Jellal Fernandes didn't end up cursed himself. And as far as the way he pulled it off... it was brilliantly planned; I'll give Grimoire Heart that. But it would be impossible to recreate. Plus... many suffered and died in that 'little' distraction... including some of your own guildmates."

"Yeah, they did. And I'm happy we stopped Jellal, don't get me wrong... but... you didn't create the spell to be evil, right? You just wanted our family back. Goes back into the whole 'the magic isn't evil, the mage is' thing we were talking about earlier."

"Natsu, the R system also requires a human sacrifice..."

"Ugh. You're missing the point, Zeref! I wasn't saying you should do it... I was just pointing out it was possible."

Zeref sighed and brought his knees to his chest. "Talking about it, even in theory, isn't a good idea in the first place... after all I didn't even cast the Eclipse Gate spell or the R System... but I was still cursed for even considering them."

Natsu brought his hand to his chin. "Yeah, I got a theory about that..." He heard Zeref about to say something again, so he said, "Don't worry, I won't talk about it. Jeeeez. I was just trying to point out your dreams aren't so much a fantasy after all. That's enough about you anyway." He turned to Invel. "What about you, Invel? What's your ideal future?"

Invel adjusted his glasses, and then almost immediately answered, "A united world under the rule of the empire."

Natsu cackled at Invel's declaration. "You've gotta be kidding me! His," he gestured at his brother, "ego is already big enough!" Zeref just scowled.

"Think about it." Invel's voice was as calm and collected as ever, as if he had just stated a plain fact, like the sky was blue. "The system we've built here is efficient. Nation states swear fealty to the emperor, but more or less govern themselves, thus promoting peace and order."

"Yes, that system works well within the empire... but you're talking about applying it to the entire world, to different continents, thousands of miles from each other, Invel. It wouldn't be as easy as you're making it sound." Zeref said.

"Perhaps it wouldn't. But, if you think about it... outside the empire, the Magic Council already rules most of the world. Sure, each kingdom has their king, but even the royalty must bow to the Council's rules and restrictions. And if they don't, they send their rune knights to deal with them." Invel smirked. "The very same tactics the Council accused the Church of doing to mages that disagreed with them, back before recorded history."

Natsu crossed his arms, considering Invel's words. "That's a good point, Invel. Man, you guys don't know how great it's been to be honest about what I think about the Council since I've been here... guess I'm really gonna have to watch my words whenever I go back to Ishgar." He smiled sheepishly.

Zeref's gaze turned wary. "I hope the empire's not changed you too much."

Natsu shot his brother a defiant look. "Nah, I've always felt this way, coming here only reinforced it. They wanna control all magic and everyone who uses it. I honestly think your ideas about magic would make the world better off."

"Perhaps His Majesty is concerned about the effect voicing those views will have on your guild and other friends back in Ishgar, should you choose to share them." Invel stated.

Natsu brought a hand to his chin and looked deep in thought as he said, "Yeah... you might have a point." However, seconds later, Natsu's signature grin reappeared on his face, and he pushed himself off the ground. As he stretched, he said, "But we're supposed to be having fun today! That's future Natsu's problem now. I'm done with deep thoughts for the day."

He gobbled up the remains of his fish he had been eating before grabbing his fishing rod and walking back over to the riverbank. Zeref looked over at Invel, who had also quickly finished his meal, and was scrambling to get up and make his way back to the river as well. "You know, it's good sportsmanship to let your opponent know when we're resuming our competition!" Invel shouted.

"Sorry, can't hear you over the sound of all these fish I'm catching!" Natsu hollered from the riverbank. Invel grabbed his own fishing pole and stormed over to the bank himself, but not before looking back and inquiring, "Are you coming, Your Majesty?"

"Uh…yeah." Came Zeref's undignified response. Finishing his own meal, he picked up his fishing rod and made his way over to where Invel and Natsu were, though a bit slower than they had. He tuned out his brother's and his chief of staff's playful jabs at each other, mind consumed by the conversation that had just occurred.

Neo eclipse remains the best option... sorry Natsu, but I don't think both of us will be getting what we want. He let out a long sigh. Better make the most of this world while we can. He threw his line into the water, another part of the conversation drifting to the forefront of his mind. Invel wasn't exactly wrong in what he said, about my concern of Natsu sharing his views on the council with his guild... but... also... I haven't missed the comments people have made about how 'I've changed' since Natsu's come to Alvarez... I didn't think much of them at first, but now I have to wonder. I'm worried… How much has Natsu changed me...

...And how much have I changed Natsu?

What'd you think of that conversation there at the end? Definitely not an indicator of any important future events... :P

Well, now I have nothing written but a sloppy outline and vague notes of chapter 17... so maybe no chapter next week? We'll see. Come February though... I know this story will have to go on hiatus, unless I can get ahead on some chapters again... and yes if all goes well the story will be that long!

Thanks for reading, and once again thanks to everyone who comments, really does wonders for the motivation! :D

See you next week or the week after lol