So, things are a bit calmer for the next few chapters. I got self-conscious about that when I wrote chapters seven and eight, but everyone seemed to like them, so I hope y'all enjoy these as well.

ALSO! Spot of Tea on A03 drew a scene from the last chapter- the part where Natsu defeats Larcade's famished soul spell by attempting to eat Larcade! Apparently, I can't post links here (or if I can I'm too dumb to figure out how) but its on her Tumblr, under the same username.

Thanks again so much Tea! Follow her on Tumblr while you're at it, she posts a lot of great stuff!

Might as well take this opportunity to tell you to follow me too, I post bad memes, sometimes... I'm just slitheryowl over there :D

Keeping Secrets CHP 12: INVICTUS

'Erza' narrowed her eyes and scowled. "How would you know- oh that's right. I forgot. His Majesty told me that you and that brat were part of the same wizard guild."

Now that Natsu's senses had returned, he could make out the woman in front of him in absolute clarity, and he could see that she wasn't Erza. They were VERY similar but there were also some noticeable differences between Erza and this woman. For one, her hair was longer, and she had a big hat, kinda reminding Natsu of a witch from kid's story books. Plus, her voice sounded different, and her scent... well it did kinda smell like Erza, but it also smelled... like a dragon?

"Uh...haha, sorry. I've been out of it for a bit it seems. It's just, you look a lot like a friend from my guild." Natsu smiled. "I'm Natsu, by the way!"

Not Erza didn't lose the scowl, but her body seemed to relax, and she stopped narrowing her eyes. "Yes, Your Highness. I'm well aware of who you are." Her brow furrowed, and then she offered, "Sorry, I shouldn't be so short with you. My name is Irene Belserion, of the Spriggan 12."

"Oh! My brother told me about you! He said you helped out a lot with my dragon seed thingy. Thanks for helping him save me!"

Irene smirked. "Well, good. It was no walk in the park, getting you back to normal. You have a very grouchy and overprotective dragon living inside you."

"Hey, Igneel's not grouchy!" Natsu exclaimed, not liking that she had something ill to say about his foster father.

Irene sighed. "Sorry, sorry. I have a... distaste for dragons, is all. I know he was just trying to protect you. Anyways... as for the reason I resemble your friend so much, it's because she is my daughter."

"Oh, that makes sense." Natsu said, the gravity of Irene's sentence hitting him moments later. "WHAT?! YOU'RE ERZA'S MAMMA?!" He screamed.

Irene clenched her eyes shut for a moment, grimacing from Natsu's outburst. "I am, and as a dragon slayer, I thought you'd be more mindful of your volume."

"Oh, uh, sorry." Natsu said, smiling and scratching his neck. "I was just really surprised, ya know. I didn't know Erza's parents were still alive... she said she was an orphan before that cul-"

"I understand your shock, but with all due respect, Your Highness, let me set a couple things straight. Firstly, Erza's father is most definitely dead. Secondly, I left her in that village because I had no need for a useless brat to drag around. That is all I wish to say about her, and going forward, I would appreciate you not bringing her up in my presence." With that, Irene walked towards the door. "Seems your brother is almost here so I'll leave you be. It was nice meeting you, Your Highness, and I'm glad you're alright." At that, Irene departed.

Natsu balled his hands into fists and clenched his teeth. HOW COULD SOMEONE SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT ABOUT THEIR OWN DAUGHTER?

The door to Natsu's room was practically flung open and a very exhausted looking Zeref rushed inside. "Natsu!" Zeref smiled the biggest grin he'd ever seen his brother smile.

Natsu smiled back. "Hey there big brother! You look awfully excited to see me, even though we just talked in my soul or whatever."

Zeref collapsed in the chair next to Natsu's bed. "Talking in there and seeing you consciously are two different things. You've been unconscious for almost three days. I can't tell you how relieved I am seeing you awake." He looked down at the darkened scarf around his neck. "Hehe... hope you don't mind."

"Do I have a choice at this point? Igneel basically just said you're his kid too, so I now I can't get mad when you steal his scarf. Or that's what I think he'd say."

The two brothers laughed.

The door to Natsu's room opened again, and this time August came through. The tension in the old man's eyes seemed to melt away as he witnessed the scene in front of him. "I'm not in a position to be as worried as His Majesty was, but for what it's worth I am also very happy to see you awake, Natsu."

Natsu beamed at the Spriggan 12's commander as he reached out to purify Natsu's scarf. "Thanks August. I'm glad to be back!"

"I see you met Irene..." Zeref trailed off, as if he expected Natsu to fly off the handle.

Which he did. "Oh yeah, what gives?! You didn't mention she was ERZA'S mom! And why would she say Erza was a 'useless brat'? Her own daughter?! If she hadn't just saved me and wasn't one of your guards or whatever, I would have decked her through that wall!"

Zeref sighed. "Like I told Igneel, Irene has reasons she is the way she is. I'll go ahead and tell you her story. I have a feeling you'll nag me about her if I leave your questions unanswered. That said, telling the whole story will take a while, so please let me tell it all the way through before you say anything, okay?"

Natsu scowled but nodded.

"Would you like me to step outside, Your Majesty?" August asked.

Zeref shook his head before saying, "No, this whole situation with Natsu's seeds has my emotions out of whack. Since you're the only one on hand who can purify the scarf, I'd prefer it if you could stay close. Besides, as much as Irene likes to pretend otherwise, you are one of the few in the Twelve who knows about her circumstances." August nodded and Zeref looked back at Natsu. "Irene... has had a very difficult life. She's from the same time period as you and I are, Natsu. She was a queen of a nation called Dragnof, a kingdom where humans and dragons co-existed. At the time, as you know, there was an intercontinental war between humans and dragons- and the dragons in Dragnof sought to give humanity an advantage. They, along with Irene, developed a new branch of magic that allowed humans to use the same type of magic as the dragons they fought- and thus dragon slayer magic was born."

Zeref smiled as he saw Natsu's eyebrows raise, eyes widen, and mouth open in surprise, and he paused a moment before continuing. "As you can expect, this turned the tide in the war, with the dragons who once thought themselves untouchable now found thousands of their kind felled by humans. However... no one predicted the side effects of a human wielding a power meant for dragons. It... changed them. It physically turned its users into dragons. And it ate away at their minds. Some were worse than others... one in particular bathed in the blood of the dragons he killed. He became a true monster, feared by dragon and human alike. You know him as Acnologia."

Zeref watched Natsu's jaw drop. It would have been a funny sight if the subject matter hadn't been so serious. "Irene was no exception to this. When her body began to show signs of dragonification, her husband had her locked away in the dungeons of her own castle, convinced she was a monster. This was despite her pleas for mercy, since she was pregnant with their child. Even as her husband drew his sword on her, Irene only begged him to spare their baby. To my understanding, his response to her pleas was to attempt to cut what he was sure was an abomination from Irene's womb. This proved very unwise. The stress caused Irene to snap, which completed her transformation into a dragon. She killed her husband and her former human subjects, and laid waste to the kingdom of Dragnof."

"After that, she wandered the wilderness, alone, for hundreds of years, hiding from humanity and Acnologia alike. All the while, she halted her child's growth with magic, hoping to protect her unborn baby. I came across her during my travels. Having spent so much time around dragons and dragon slayers, I could immediately tell what she was- and thus enchanted her back into human form. She was ecstatic- however I warned her the change was only in appearance- she was still very much a dragon, unable to enjoy the simplest of human pleasures, such as a warm home cooked meal."

"She wanted to give birth to her daughter as a 'true' human being, not just in appearance. Over time, this desire twisted into desperation, where Irene told me she would give birth to her child and enchant her soul into the newborn's body. I wished to gain Irene as an ally... so I agreed to help. I delivered her baby. As I held the infant up, ready for her to begin the process of enchantment, Irene burst into tears. I turned the baby around so I could see it... and saw one of the happiest smiles I had ever seen on her little face."

Zeref smiled but it quickly disappeared and the scarf around his neck darkened again. "Irene was beyond disgusted at herself at that point. Seeing herself as unfit to be a mother, having intended to kill her child moments after her birth, she and I left her baby- your friend, Erza- on the steps of a church, which ran an orphanage in a small village. Once we confirmed a clergyman had taken the child inside, she and I set off to Alakitasia... and she has served me ever since."

Natsu stared at his brother in shock. "That's… a lot. Wow." Natsu leaned back into his pillows. A mischievous look came across his face and he snickered, "I can't believe you delivered Erza. Wonder how she'd feel knowing the first person to hold her was you, Zeref."

Zeref frowned. "That's what you took away from all that?"

Natsu, still amused, said, "That was just the funniest part to me." A little more serious, he added, "But you have the creator of dragon slayer magic working for you? That's so cool!" His face lit up as he said this, but his brow quickly furrowed again as he asked, "Well, what about all that stuff she said about Erza being a disappointment?"

"Fabrication." August answered. "She is... grieving the daughter she never got to raise. The hatred and malice you hear her direct towards your friend and guildmate is truly meant for herself."

"She was talking about herself?" Natsu brought a hand to his chin. "But... I know Erza, if Irene sat down and told her all that stuff, she wouldn't hate her... I know she wouldn't! Erza's a good person!" Natsu furrowed his brow before his features lightened again. "Well, that just means, after we cure your curse and reform Fairy Tail, we'll help Irene with all her problems and she and Erza can be a family like they're supposed to be!"

"Uhhh..."

"Natsu, that is an extremely noble goal but remember that's something Irene will need to be open to as well. Even if you are completely right about your friend, trying to force something like that will inevitably make the situation worse. Family is a delicate topic, as I'm sure you understand." August said, clearly trying to make up for Zeref's less than dignified response.

Natsu didn't look happy about it, but he nodded. "It's just... not fair. For either of them, if Irene really does feel that way."

Zeref sighed. "No, it's not. But as you know Natsu..."

"Reality is often unkind, yeah, yeah." Natsu's features lightened a bit before he said, "Well I won't give up, but I guess we can worry about that after we get you cured and reform the guild." Natsu smiled.

Zeref and August exchanged a glance, before Zeref smiled back. "Well, I have a feeling that's the best offer we'll get from you, so I'll take it."

"Awesome! Now, let's go- ahhhh!" Natsu tried to quickly get out of bed, only for his body to be filled with immense pain.

Zeref shook his head. "Sorry Natsu, I don't think you'll be getting outta here that quickly this time. Everything that happened really took its toll on you physically. You really do need to rest and recover."

Natsu leaned back and scowled as he grumbled, "Feels like we're never going to get started."

Zeref chuckled a bit, before saying, "Well, now at least, I can go into negotiations tomorrow with a clear mind. That should help me speed things up as far as that goes. I promise, we'll be on our way after that... but I take it you still want us all to go with you to the bar one night? When you recover, of course."

Natsu's face lit up. "Of course! It's gonna be awesome!" He paused a minute and added, "Though I guess it's gonna be hard to get Larcade to agree to come now...haha."

Both Zeref and August's faces darkened at the mention of Larcade. "I'm happy you brought Larcade up, Natsu." August said.

"Yes. Natsu, what would you like done to Larcade?" Zeref asked Natsu, tone deftly serious.

Natsu looked back at him in confusion. "What do I want done with him? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Natsu, as the emperor's brother, you are the second most important person in the empire." August explained. "Larcade casting a spell to kill you is equivalent to an assassination attempt. He would be executed immediately, on normal circumstances."

"Once we knew you were going to pull through, I wanted to leave the decision up to you, however." Zeref added.

"Well, I mean... It was a fight. Things get intense, adrenaline runs high, sometimes people go overboard..."

"Natsu, that's not what happened here. His spell, Eternal Rest, is designed solely to kill. Nothing else. He knew exactly what he was doing." Zeref said, tone deftly serious.

Natsu's brow furrowed. "What's this guy's deal with me anyway? Why is he so convinced I'm 'stealing your love from him', whatever the Hell that means?"

Zeref sighed. "It's likely my fault. I let him get carried away with his identity as my 'son'. It never bothered me before, as long as he continued to do the work I requested of him, I didn't mind his... eccentricities. That was, until your match, where I realized how deluded his envy had made him." Zeref took a deep breath and said, "Let me explain what happened after we got your seeds split and under control..."

YESTERDAY

Zeref flung the door to the room Larcade was being held in open. Misunderstanding his intentions, Larcade shot to his feet, his face lightening, "Father! I knew yo-!"

Larcade was cut off as Zeref delivered a powerful blow to his face and the etherious slammed into the wall behind him. As he looked back at his 'father', his eyes were full of fearful confusion, which his voice matched as he asked, "Father...wha-"

"FIRST." Zeref said, voice harsh and dripping with rage. "From this point forward, you address me as 'Your Majesty' and nothing else. Are we clear?"

Larcade's eyes widened, and he began to tear up. "Wha-at? But I-"

"I suggest you listen to the emperor if you would prefer to keep breathing, Larcade." Invel sternly reprimanded, having stepped into the room behind Zeref, along with August.

Larcade sniffled but slowly nodded.

"I tolerated your personal preferences because you have been loyal and served me well to this point... but that ended when you decided to cast Eternal Rest on Natsu during your match with him the other day."

Larcade's face morphed into a scowl. "You don't understand! I-"

"No, Larcade, it is YOU who does not understand." Invel snapped. "These battles were made in good faith with the prince. They were meant to be a casual, fun, and exciting way for the everyday people of the empire to be introduced to Prince Natsu. You turned them sinister by trying to cast Eternal Rest. You are an embarrassment to not only the Twelve, but the entire empire."

August nodded. "The fact that God Serena showed more self-control and took his defeat with more grace than you is absolutely unacceptable."

Larcade grit his teeth. "NO, NONE OF YOU UNDERSTAND! NATSU IS A CURSE, A NUISANCE, A TICKING TIME BOMB! REMOVING HIM FROM EXISTENCE WOULD ALLOW FATHER TO FINALLY TO BE FREE FROM HIS PATHETIC BROTHER'S INFLUENCE! CAN'T YOU SEE HOW MUCH HE IS HOLDING YOU BACK?!"

"HOW DARE YOU! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SPEAK TO HIS MAJESTY THAT WAY!" Invel yelled, activating his magic, intending to freeze Larcade solid.

However, Zeref held a hand out in front of Invel. "It's alright, Invel." Zeref's voice was low and even. "I will handle this myself." He stepped forward, glaring down at Larcade, who still sat on the floor, not having gotten up from Zeref's punch upon his entry. "So, that is how you truly feel? That Natsu is a curse, a nuisance, a ticking time bomb? That I will truly be better off without his 'influence'?"

Larcade didn't like the look Zeref was giving him, but he still answered, "Y-yes."

Zeref continued to glare at him before he started to snicker, which evolved into unhinged laughter as an unsettling smile spread across Zeref's face. Invel and August exchanged an uncomfortable glance. "It's very funny you say that Larcade. Because these last 400 years- all that's kept me sane, away from reckless ideas of finding a way to end my existence for good, or, on my worse days, to completely destroy the world, is the thought of allowing my little brother to have a long and happy life. He is the only one left in this world that I can say I truly love." Natsu's scarf, around Zeref's neck, darkened as he said this, and he sneered down at Larcade, "And any 'son' that claimed to love me would know that."

Larcade clenched his fists. "He has done NOTHING for you! He's oblivious to how much you suffered, all because he was too busy playing guild mage with his new friends in Ishgar! But I was here, father!" He grimaced as Zeref's look darkened, so he corrected himself, "Er, Your Majesty. But I am the one who's stood by you all this time! I would never abandon you! But Natsu- as soon as Fairy Tail regroups, he'll leave you again! He's USING you as a crutch since his precious friends aren't around! Can't you see all you're setting yourself up for is to be disappointed?"

"You are a fool, Larcade. Firstly, the entire reason he was 'oblivious' to my suffering is because I sealed his memories- I wanted him to live unburdened by anything relating to me or my curse. Secondly, you clearly do not know my brother a bit. He is loyal to a fault. I have no doubt he will want to reunite with his friends once Fairy Tail reforms- but I do not believe that he will abandon me, or Alvarez. No, if anything, I again will have to cast him out of my life myself. Because staying by my side will bring nothing but suffering. However, since jealousy has clouded your vision, allow me to set a few things straight. You are NOT my son. You are a demon of the Books of Zeref, an experiment I created attempting to bring my brother back. You were the strongest, aside from Natsu, and showed the most potential out of the others- you even learned magic in addition to your curse power, something none of the other etherious even bothered to try. So, in recognition of your strength and work, I gave you my family name. That was clearly a mistake. The only person I have ever loved other than my parents and Natsu died before I got to have any type of life with her." Zeref's voice rose, becoming a mixture of fury and sorrow, "I HAVE NO CHILD, I HAVE NO SON! YOU ARE A PAWN AND NOTHING MORE! The only reason you still draw breath is because your attempt to kill Natsu failed, and my brother still lives. Had he not, I would have annihilated you without a second thought."

Larcade's tears were flowing freely now, the etherious sobbing as the man he considered his father had thoroughly ground his sense of self into the dirt.

Zeref sighed deeply, his voice dropping in volume. "So, I will allow Natsu to decide your fate. You should hope my 'nuisance' of a brother has more mercy for you than I do." He turned and headed for the door. "We're done here."

August and Invel followed, door slamming behind them, leaving Larcade no company but the sound of his own sobbing.

PRESENT

Natsu listened to Zeref's story wide eyed. When he finished, Natsu exhaled deeply before saying, "I really have no idea what to say to any of that. Wait, yeah, I do! I wasn't 'playing guild mage' or whatever he said! I didn't know! You wiped my mem-"

"Natsu, I know. You don't have to convince me. All you could remember was Igneel, and he was nowhere to be found. So, you did what any child did. You found others you could love and depend on. I'm not upset at you in the slightest for that, in fact, quite the opposite."

Natsu furrowed his brow. "Still, maybe you were a little harsh on him. Look, I obviously can't say I like the guy, but he does seem pretty devoted to you, I guess he was trying to look out for you in his own way."

August narrowed his eyes. "Are you saying you want him to go free?"

"Well, yeah, I mean, as long as he doesn't try and kill me again, I'm over it."

August raised an eyebrow before looking at Zeref in disbelief. Zeref shrugged. "If that's what you want, Natsu. Usually this isn't something that one would just get a slap on the wrist for."

"Yeah, but I don't want my first order as prince to be ordering someone's death."

"You know, as much as I think Larcade needs harsher punishment, this could work in Natsu's favor."

A new voice entered the room, and Natsu smiled upon seeing its source in the doorway. "Invel! Hey!"

Invel smiled slightly as he entered the room. "I'm pleased you are awake, Natsu. You gave everyone quite the scare there."

"Heh, I guess I did... sorry about that." Natsu chuckled a bit, before adding, "I'm sorry I used my etherious form too, especially after you warned me not to."

"You do not owe me apologies, Natsu. Larcade was instructed the same and he ignored His Majesty's orders. The blame is on his shoulders." Invel's smile curled into a smirk as he continued. "Besides, as it turns out, my fears were unfounded." He turned to Zeref. "Your Majesty, have you had a chance to show Natsu what he's received while he's been unconscious?"

Zeref smiled back, and said, "I sure haven't. Now would be a good time for him to see, though."

Natsu cocked his head to the side, "What do you mean? See what?"

Invel stepped back out of the room and returned moments later with a large stack of paper, of various sizes and colors. "You've received quite a few 'get well' cards, Your Highness."

Natsu picked a card one off the top of the stack, eyes widening as he saw a crudely drawn picture of what he assumed was him in his etherious form. He opened it up to find a message in large, sloppy handwriting written inside.

Dear Prince Natsu,

I really liked watching you fight in the coliseum on the lacrima vision this weekend! My favorite part was when you turned into a dragon. That was so cool! I'm sorry that other guy hurt you bad but I'm glad you won and hope you get to wake up soon!

From,

Ian Brandell

Mrs. Westlake's class

Weston Academy Elementary

Natsu's smile grew, and his eyes lit up as he read the child's letter. Invel smiled as well, and said, "You have hundreds of letters from children around the empire... as well as from some adults of the opposite gender who seem rather attracted to you, but I've withheld those for now." Invel's face turned slightly red as he said the last bit. "The point is the people loved what they saw. You've become, quite literally, an overnight sensation."

"Indeed. Not only has Larcade's massive fan club seemed to switch sides and become yours', God Serena- or rather, Bald Serena as we've been jokingly calling him now- had to be sedated when he came to after the battles, as he kept attempting to escape his hospital room to 'take care of' Larcade himself, in your honor." August said, obviously amused.

"I know you probably had some fame in Fiore with how well known Fairy Tail is there, but believe me when I say, Natsu, this is on a whole other level." Zeref added, smiling.

Invel nodded, handing Zeref several folded pieces of paper. "Speaking of... here are the prototype designs. Are they to your liking?"

Light seemed to dance in his eyes as Zeref unfolded the paper and looked at its contents. He snickered a bit, before saying, "It looks good, but I think it matters more what Natsu thinks."

Natsu looked at his brother, confused. "What do you mean, what I think?" Chuckling, Zeref handed Natsu the paper, which caused his eyes to grow wide. "Hey, this is me!"

"This is the prototype design for an action figure- based on you, of course." Invel said, a smile tugging at his lips. "There are ones based on all of the Twelve, even me. After all, the Twelve and the Emperor are treated as celebrities throughout the Empire. I'm sure you'll receive letters from other entities such as movie production companies and book publishers soon, wanting to adapt your life story."

Natsu's grin grew as he looked at the designs. "Back in Fairy Tail, one of our guildmates, Max, sold action figures of everyone in his little shop, but they didn't look this cool!" Shuffling the other papers out from underneath, Natsu's grin grew as he added, "And there definitely wasn't one of me in etherious form! This is amazing. I have no idea what I'd say to any book or movie guys though..." Natsu's smile vanished for a second, as he narrowed his eyes at the other occupants of the room. "Wait a second, this is a prank, isn't it?"

August laughed. "No, no, it's all true!" He insisted. "Perhaps while you're recovering, I will bring several of my favorite 'based on true events' movies for you to watch."

Zeref rolled his eyes. "I really wish you wouldn't, August. They're all so incredibly corny."

"You think so, Your Majesty? They make me nostalgic." August said, chuckling.

"Anyways, as I was saying, since the public already likes Natsu, pardoning Larcade will likely increase his standing, not decrease it. He won the match regardless of Larcade's underhanded tricks. He needs to do no more to prove his strength and resolve." Invel said.

August sighed. "As much as Larcade rubs me the wrong way, it would be a testament to Natsu's character, I agree."

"Nice thinking, Invel. Very well, Natsu. We'll release Larcade. However, if he does anything threatening towards you from here on out, I want you to come to me immediately." Zeref said, serious but not stern.

Natsu smiled. "Got it."

"Your Majesty, I know you want to be with your brother now that he has woken up, but Lord Saylor will be here in a few hours. You should ensure you get at least a few hours of sleep before you meet with him." Invel reminded.

Zeref sighed but nodded. "You have a good point Invel. I think I'll go do that. He stood and walked to the door, turning to look at Natsu before he left, smiling as he did. "I'll be back to visit as soon as I can, Natsu."

"You know, I can stand to be without you for more than two minutes a day." Zeref's face fell, and Natsu couldn't resist breaking into a grin and laughing, evidently having gotten the reaction he wanted. "Kidding, kidding. You're too easy to pick at, big brother."

Zeref narrowed his eyes. "Very funny. I'll make sure the cafeteria is skimpy with your meal portions since you can't get up to get them yourself."

Natsu's eyes widened. "You wouldn't!" Zeref grinned sinisterly. Natsu gasped, clasped his palms together and bowed as much as he could. "Please forgive me big brother!" Natsu's desperate face shifted to confusion as he heard snickering, looking up to see Zeref having a laugh at his expense now.

"You're too easy to pick at, little brother."

"Oh, get out of here already!"

"Love you too, Natsu!" he said happily, before quickly going through the door before Natsu could make another joke.

Natsu folded his arms and grumbled, "Asshole."

As August watched the 'spat' between the two, he chuckled softly as he stood to leave as well. "I enjoyed getting to talk with you too, Natsu, but I should probably turn in as well. I'll be assisting His Majesty with the negotiations tomorrow."

Natsu nodded, smiling wide at the old man. "Good night, August!"

August smiled as he bid Natsu a good night as well, leaving just the dragon slayer and Invel in the hospital room.

Natsu turned to look at Invel, who seemed lost in thought. "You gonna be helping my brother with the negotiations too, Invel?"

Invel's attention snapped back to Natsu. "Yes, I will be. Sorry, there was something on my mind. Natsu, before your battles, you were lamenting how things were taking so long to get started on your quest to cure His Majesty, and if I remember correctly, your exact words were, 'Training is one thing, but I don't know anything about talking to these fat, stuffed shirt clowns!'"

Natsu cocked his head at Invel. "Yeah, what about it?"

Invel chuckled. "How would you like to learn about talking to 'fat stuffed shirt clowns' so you can help speed things along?"

Natsu looked at him blankly, before he began to laugh. "Your sense of humor is really something else, Invel. Unless you want me to run off all of your potential allies, you're better off keeping me out of all that important stuff. I'm not smart like you or Zeref, after all."

"I disagree." Invel said, adjusting his glasses. "Just hear me out. In your battles, the counters you came up with to your opponents' moves took a lot of thinking, planning, and tact. Someone who isn't smart couldn't have done that."

"Well, battles are one thing. That doesn't seem hard. Talking all fancy with all those big words with a bunch of people who think they're the world's smartest person is, to me. Plus, I had Zeref and August helping me."

"I see your point. But also, any new challenge will seem difficult at first. And just like you had people to help you with your battle preparations, you will have people who will help you with this as well. These negotiations are like a battle, but with words instead of fists. The man your brother is going to meet with this week, Lord Evan Saylor of the island of Caelum, would be equivalent to your match with Ajeel. There was respect between the two of you, but both of you wanted to come out on top. It's a similar situation here. Lord Saylor and Emperor Spriggan have respect for one another and intend to discuss openly and honestly during their negotiations, but both also want what is best for their own country as well. It'd be an ideal time to involve yourself in these matters, Natsu."

"I think you're giving me too much credit, Invel. I'm not naturally good at this stuff like you, Zeref, or August."

To Natsu's surprise, Invel smiled and chuckled. "Is that what you think, Natsu? That I have always been naturally good at what I do?" Invel paused, smile fading as he said, "Would you believe I was a lot like you were once?"

Natsu tried to imagine Invel being like him, but he shook his head, not being able to picture it.

He chuckled again, and Invel said, "In truth, I was, when I was a child. I was born in the far north of the Empire- a remote, desolate, and unforgiving area. I was the sixth child of a fisherman. Something my family has done as far back as I could trace my ancestry. As you could imagine, it is a cold, hard, and dirty job. Certainly nothing like what I do here in the palace."

Invel smiled as he thought back to his younger days as he continued, "Yet for many years, I believed this was my fate. And I wasn't upset in the slightest by it. After all, I loved my family more than anything. I'd like to think I still do. They were very old fashioned- God, family, country types. I learned the value of hard work from them. From a young age, I spent many days on the deck of my father's boat, helping him and my older siblings catch fish in the frozen ocean waters. I had no dreams to do anything else- my older brother would inherit the family business, so I always assumed I would work for him or another local fisherman. Maybe one day I'd save up for my own boat and start my own business."

Natsu had trouble imagining Invel doing anything other than bureaucratic work, and the idea of the stern man with a fishing pole in casual clothing almost made him laugh. But obviously, the Winter General's beginnings were far humbler than he could have thought. "I never would have guessed." Natsu said, smiling.

Invel smiled as well as he continued, "As you can see, fate had different plans." His smile disappeared as he said, "My family wasn't well off, despite how hard we worked. I never understood why- until I grew older. The local lord was a bitter, greedy man. He was related to the tyrannical king who used to rule over our land. My grandfather would tell us horror stories about his reign, where his subjects were treated as little more than slaves. That was, until your brother and his armies arrived. My grandfather's favorite story was coming to the king's castle after this conqueror dubbing himself 'Emperor Spriggan' addressed the kingdom- as he held the former king's severed head by his hair."

"Usually, when your brother conquered a land, he left a local lord over the day to day governing. Most of the time, this worked very well. However, in some cases, like that of my home, there were some who resented your brother. The lord he left over our region was a relative of the former king and viewed your brother as a charlatan who stole what was rightfully his. So, he continued the practices of his dead relative, as much as he could, anyway. He began taking more than what the law allotted for taxes. He had hired thugs to go around as his collectors, who beat anyone bloody who tried to defy him. Then he had other thugs raid villages and merchants, and his collectors would charge even more outrageous fines for their 'protection'."

Natsu grit his teeth, and declared, "I would have beat him and all his pals into the ground!"

Invel nodded, his face solemn. "I wanted to. And I tried, how I could. When I was ten years old, I attended school with one of his sons. At the time, school was a new concept to our area. This clearly reflected in his attitude, as he would constantly belittle the commoners he attended classes with. The day he decided to talk down to me, I froze his feet to the floor and beat him until I knocked out three of his teeth."

Natsu smiled in satisfaction, but Invel's face was grave. "I thought I had won. But that night, the collectors paid our home a visit. They held my mother, my siblings, and me down as the men brutally beat my father, cutting off three of his fingers in retaliation, before taking all of our week's earnings." Natsu could see the usually collected man was trembling with rage. "I didn't understand. My family always spoke of how Emperor Spriggan brought justice to our land, but from what I could see, things didn't look any different than the life under the wicked king my grandfather talked about. I demanded there had to be a solution, but my parents, angry as they were, told me this was our lot in life, and we just had to work even harder to make up for what we lost. That the lord and his men were working against us WITHIN the law, hiding their illegal activities too well, so resisting or stepping out of line will only result in even harsher punishments than what my father received."

Invel clenched and unclenched his fists as he spoke. "With how highly my family and the other villagers spoke of the emperor, I refused to believe he would stand for this. So," Invel adjusted his glasses as was his habit, "I decided if I could not defeat them physically, I would use their own tricks against them. I started skipping fishing trips to go to the town library, reading any books I could on the topics of law or the Imperial government. My first few weeks I spent much of my time flipping through dictionaries and thesauruses, attempting to understand the complicated language of government texts. However, after many months of researching and reading, I finally developed a plan."

Invel smirked as he continued, "I put together a case, writing things I had seen with my own eyes, stories I had heard and cross referenced with official records, and firsthand testimonies of the lord's illegal affairs from other villagers. Eventually, once I thought my evidence was substantial enough, I decided to send it to the Imperial Department of Justice in the capital. I spent an entire week practicing my handwriting to ensure they could not tell the request was coming in from a child, and it would be taken seriously. And finally, after my report was complete, I used what little savings I had to purchase the necessary postage to send it to the capital as fast as the mailing system would allow. Having everything I needed, I finally sent my report off."

"Three weeks passed by with no change. The lord's men continued to harass villagers; my family included. I was beginning to give up hope. Until one morning, when I awoke to shouting that everyone was to come to town square at once. My family and I quickly dressed and made our way there. Once we were there, my face lit up when I saw why we were all summoned- your brother, the Emperor Himself, had come to visit our village."

"I saw the corrupt lord greet him with honeyed words and pleasant smiles, but when he asked why the emperor had stopped by, I tried not to let my excitement show as I saw the lord's face fall when His Majesty explained he had received a concerning report from the Justice Department. His Majesty listed off all of the claims I had made, and the lord grew increasingly defensive. Eventually he demanded to know who was making such claims. My blood ran cold when His Majesty asked whoever 'Invel Yura' was to step forward."

"The other villagers parted like the seas, leaving a clear path between myself and the emperor. My family looked at me with a mixture of shock and anger. But His Majesty smiled and kindly asked for me to come forward. So, I did. Once I was in the front of the crowd, next to him and the seething lord, His Majesty asked me how I was able to compile such a well written and thorough report at my age. I explained how I went to the library and educated myself all I could on the law. He asked why I was so passionate and insistent on this matter. I explained the lord's actions had caused my own family much strife and hardship."

"At this the lord exploded, saying I was nothing more than an ungrateful peasant child jealous of his success, and I had violently attacked his son in school with no prompting. His son, the one I had attacked, stood at his side, smiling and nodding. I felt my blood boiling in anger, but when His Majesty asked if this was the truth, I admitted I did attack the lord's son, but I wasn't ungrateful. I told him how my family raised me to always be grateful to him and the empire, and I was- but this lord was making a mockery of the empire, and his son had belittled mine and others' families because we didn't have money like he did. And then I told him what the lord's collectors had done to my family in retaliation. His Majesty looked at me for a moment before smiling, saying he believed me. You could hear some of the sighs of relief from the villagers closest to me."

"The lord attempted to sway His Majesty's judgment, saying I was spinning tales, he had no collectors, that he personally knew every citizen he had responsibility over. His Majesty asked if that included 'these' citizens- gesturing to two men, horribly beaten and in chains, that were drug to the center of the town square. I eventually recognized them as his head collector and the head of his hired bandits. His Majesty said that they corroborated my claims. He then looked back at the lord's son, whose face was frozen in fear. He kindly asked the boy if what I had said about him was true. I could not stop a massive grin from breaking out on my face as I saw the look of horror on the lord's face as his son nodded. His Majesty smiled and told his commander-August- to go to the lord's estate, strip it of anything of value, and burn it to the ground."

"The village cheered at this, but the lord lost his temper, exclaiming this land and people were his and his alone, and His Majesty's reign was ending today. To everyone's horror, he stabbed your brother with a concealed knife. However, his haughty look of victory disappeared as His Majesty picked the knife out of his chest and threw it to the ground. He then smiled and said it looked like the lord was mistaken. Using magic, he promptly blasted one arm and one leg off the lord, saying death was too good for him. Now, he would have to hope the people he considered no more than fodder would have more mercy than he had shown them. He told the town to appoint a new lord, who would redistribute the fortune of the former back to the people he had stolen from."

"As the town celebrated, His Majesty approached me again and thanked me for speaking up when others were too afraid to. He asked what I wanted to do when I grew up- I told him I would likely become a fisherman like my father before me. He told me that was a noble profession, if that's what I wanted, but what I had done for my village deserved a reward. He then told my parents I would attend the Imperial Academy in the capital, free of charge, with a position in his staff guaranteed when I came of age. He said he needed people like me to make sure the empire stayed a good place. I was honored... no one from my village had ever left for the capital before. So, I went. I did my absolute best at the academy, rose through the ranks of government officials until I came to the position I had today. And now His Majesty considers me his right hand. The angry youngest child of a fisherman from a tiny village in an oft forgotten part of the empire."

Natsu stared wide eyed as Invel finished his story. "That's incredible Invel. Everything you did- I don't know if I ever could have thought of doing something like that if I were in your shoes."

Invel smiled. "It doesn't matter what you would or wouldn't have done in my position. What matters is that anyone can do it, despite what 'fat stuffed shirt clowns' will tell you." They shared a laugh at that before Invel added, "Let me help you, Natsu. You don't have to change who you are as a person. It will merely be another tool in your arsenal to defeat your opponents. Plus, I know how much it would surprise your brother, and you certainly enjoy doing that, don't you?"

Natsu smiled. "Yeah, I do." He paused before saying, "I should probably warn you I'm not a good student."

Invel chuckled. "Neither were my other five siblings, but I tutored all of them on my breaks from the academy... they may have not ended up at the top of their classes in school, but they all successfully graduated after I had my way with them."

Natsu laughed, imagining what the rest of Invel's family could possibly be like. "You know...I'll give it a shot, on one condition."

"What is your condition?"

"After these negotiations... you and I go fishing. Zeref can come too, I guess."

Invel looked a little surprised before a confident grin appeared on his face. "Alright, I agree. I'll warn you however, I can out fish everyone in the Twelve."

"Yeah, well you've never faced me before!" Natsu said. "I'm all fired up now!"

Invel shared another rare laugh before he said, "I am too."

I really don't remember how I first came up with Invel's backstory, but I knew since he'd be a major supporting character I wanted to flesh him out more. What did y'all think?

Also, I'll thank Spot of Tea for another thing, they reminded me Irene didn't know Erza was a part of Fairy Tail til they met on the battlefield. I've changed that here, with the explanation being Irene kept tabs on Erza via Alvarez's intelligence network. More on that in a few chapters.

As always curious for everyone's thoughts overall, as well as your predictions. Thanks for reading everyone, see you next week!