A/N: Episode 280, Opening 23.
Enjoy!
CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN: AVATAR
X792...
Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, Happy, and Carla were all outside in the rain. "Juvia-san's asleep now." Wendy informed.
"So how do you intend to find him?" Carla questioned, referring to Gray.
"Even I lost track of him while keeping tabs on everyone." Lucy stated.
Natsu remained silent. "What's with that scary look, Natsu?" Happy asked.
"Hmm, they're not too far from here." Natsu suddenly spoke as he turned around to look at Lucy. "We're visiting Twilight Phoenix."
"Huh?!" Lucy said in shock.
In a dark forest, a crumbled castle stood alone with brambles and trees growing out of it.
"The Oracion Seis, Grimoire Heart, and Tartaros..." A masked man holding a staff spoke up. "The fall of the Balam Alliance has marked the end of the dark guilds' era. Now begins the era of Avatar."
AVATAR BLACK MAGIC CULT / HIGH PRIEST ALOK.
"Our gospel is a world ruled by the dark wizard Zeref. The time has come."
AVATAR BLACK MAGIC CULT / GOMON.
AVATAR BLACK MAGIC CULT / ABEL.
"We must purify the world of wizards who dare oppose Zeref. Everything we do, we do for Zeref."
AVATAR BLACK MAGIC CULT / D-6.
AVATAR BLACK MAGIC CULT / BRIAR.
"Everything we do, we do for Zeref." A man with unkempt, shoulder-length blonde hair and orange eyes spoke.
AVATAR BLACK MAGIC CULT / JEROME.
"Everything we do, we do for Zeref." A petite young woman with cropped short pink hair that reached only to her shoulders and large golden eyes spoke after Jerome.
AVATAR BLACK MAGIC CULT / MARY.
Mary smiled at two people across from her.
"Everything we do, we do for Zeref."
AVATAR BLACK MAGIC CULT / GRAY FULLBUSTER.
"Everything we do, we do for Zeref." A man with black, shoulder-length hair and blueish-green eyes was the last person to speak.
AVATAR BLACK MAGIC CULT / ZACK ORION (DRAGNEEL).
Wendy was trying to use her Healing Magic on Juvia. "It's no use. Not even my Healing Magic can reduce her fever one bit." She informed.
"I wonder if they've reached Twilight Phoenix's guildhall yet." Carla commented while staring out of the window, looking at the rain coming down.
Juvia continued breathing heavily. "We'll take care of things here, Natsu-san. Just please hurry and bring Gray-san back!" Wendy said to herself.
Natsu and Lucy were currently riding on an animal while Happy was flying.
"There it is!" Happy exclaimed.
Lucy spotted the dark purple guild building of Twilight Phoenix, which now had a huge flying phoenix on its roof. "Did they remodel since we've been here?" Lucy questioned more to herself before addressing Natsu. "Hey, Natsu. Are you sure Twilight Phoenix will have info on Gray?"
"Can't talk about it." Natsu responded, confusing Lucy.
"What do you mean you can't?"
Natsu soon turns around to face Lucy. "Listen, Lucy." He began.
"Whoa! Take the reins! Look forward!" Lucy spoke frantically while sweatdropping.
"I trust Gray. But the only way to get info on Gray this time is to stop trusting him." Natsu finished.
"You're not making any sense, but just look forward!"
"I gotta stop trusting him for now, but only until we find him again. That's what I mean."
"That makes no sense!"
"Lucy." Natsu leans forward towards Lucy. "I will get Gray and bring him back. I promise. So don't ask any questions until then."
Lucy looks down before turning Natsu's head back around. "Look forward, dummy!" She scolded.
TWILIGHT PHOENIX...
"This is a surprise! Long time no see, Natsu, Lucy, Happy!" Akame greeted upon seeing them walk in.
"Akame! How've you been?" Natsu questioned.
"I've been great!" Akame answered.
"Yeah, 'cause we got all the work Fairy Tail used to get." Julian chimes in. "We've gotten so much, we've had to share the workload with Sabertooth."
"Complaining, Julian?" Aly asked.
"Not a complaint. Master Harumi's happy that business has been booming." Julian replied.
Akame sweatdrops. "That's not what I meant..." He muttered.
"I know. Besides, Fairy Tail is coming back!" Lucy announced.
"Really? That's amazing." Akame smiled.
"Anyway, I heard Twilight Phoenix didn't participate in the Grand Magic Games this year." Lucy pointed out.
"Oh, yeah." Akame hummed. "We decided to skip out. Master said something about it being too boring without Fairy Tail around. Everyone else agreed."
"You look troubled." Natsu pointed out, making Akame flinch.
Dusk sighed, walking over to join them. "You may as well tell them, Akame." He informed.
"Huh? Tell us what?" Lucy asked.
"I hate to make this reunion not a joyful one..." Akame starts to say as he glances down. "But Zack's been missing for quite some time now. Ezekiel, too."
This shocks Natsu, Lucy, and Happy. "They're both missing?" Natsu repeated.
"Are you sure they're not on a job?" Lucy questioned.
Akame shook his head. "We have to notify the Master if we're taking jobs. Zack and Ezekiel have both been gone for half a year. Not to mention, Zack left Jim behind. Something he would never do." He responded, gesturing to the tiger Exceed who was talking with Chii and Bruno.
"Half a year... They went missing the same time Gray did?" Happy asked.
"Gray's missing?" Akame's eyes widened.
"I really wouldn't call him 'missing'. But he did leave Juvia out of the blue. We were hoping you had information on him." Lucy explained.
"I see." Akame said.
"Think they're connected?" Natsu questioned.
Akame puts his hand on his chin in thought. "It's possible. Gazania is only about 30 minutes from here. Dusk and I were just about to head over to Sabertooth to see if they had any information on Zack and Ezekiel. Perhaps they have information on Gray, as well." He answered, making Natsu nod.
Akame, Dusk, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Chii, and Bruno left the Twilight Phoenix guildhall, heading towards Gazania.
SABERTOOTH...
"Oh! Natsu-sama, Lucy-sama, Happy-sama, Akame-sama, Dusk-sama, Chii-sama, and Bruno-sama!" Yukino exclaimed as the group walks into the Sabertooth guildhall.
"Yukino! It's good to see you! How've you been?" Lucy asked, waving to her.
"Very well, thank you!" Yukino replied.
"That voice brings back memories!"
"That does it, yes!"
Natsu, Akame, and Dusk turned around to see Sting, who was now heavy. "Oh? It's Natsu-san and Lucy-san! Akame-san and Dusk, too." Sting said.
"And Happy-kun, Bruno-kun, and Chii!" Lector added.
Lucy had a look of disbelief on her face. "Who are you?" She questioned.
"Hey, Sting!" Akame greeted.
"Wha...?!" Lucy and Dusk exclaim in unison, both shocked at this news.
"You haven't changed one bit!" Sting tells Akame.
"You neither!" Akame stated.
"He's changed many bits!" Dusk shouted as Sting winked.
"So, what brings you here today, Akame-san?" Sting questioned.
"If you came to get work for your guild, we have some jobs set aside for Twilight Phoenix to take." Orga chimes in.
"Right." Rufus agreed.
"Oh, no. We're too busy, unfortunately." Dusk tells them.
"Oh? Is Carla not with you?" Lector asks Happy.
"Likewise. Is Frosch not here?" Happy questioned.
"Frosch is out on a job with Rogue and M'lady." Lector answered.
"Where did they go?!" Akame exclaimed, grabbing onto Lector's cheeks.
"What are you doing to Lector, Akame-san?!" Sting asked.
"Akame-sama?" Yukino questioned.
Lector was frightened. "I don't know, but they only just left. They might be at the city entrance." He explained.
"Great!" Akame said, setting Lector back down as he takes off. "Thanks, Lector!"
"Hold on, Akame!" Dusk calls out.
"Wait for us!" Natsu shouted.
"Sheesh..." Dusk muttered.
Sting walks next to him, his slim figure back. "What is he here for?" He questioned.
"Beats me." Lector responded as Dusk and Lucy both turned to look at Sting before quickly doing a double take.
"You're back to normal!" Lucy exclaimed.
"He wasn't quite himself, so I used Libra's power." Yukino explained, holding up Libra's gate key.
Akame was running through the town, finally spotting Rogue, Minerva, and Frosch in the distance.
"Rogue!" Akame screams his name, making Rogue turn around.
"Akame?" Rogue questioned as Minerva turned around as well.
Akame grabs Rogue by the arm. "I'm borrowin' you for a sec! You and I gotta talk!" He informed, rushing off.
"What's going on?!" Rogue exclaimed.
"Hey! Wait for us!" Dusk called out, making Minerva turn to see him, Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Chii, and Bruno.
"Akame!" Chii shouted.
"You're..." Minerva trails off.
"I'll talk with you!" Frosch hops up and down.
"Everyone stay there! This is just between us two!" Akame shouts at them.
"Sheesh, what's his problem?" Natsu wondered.
"Knowing Akame, it could be anything." Dusk sighs out before looking at Minerva.
"It's been a while." Minerva greeted.
"Yeah." Dusk agreed. "I'm glad Sabertooth took you back."
"Oh, did you visit our guildhall?" Minerva asked.
"Only for a moment." Dusk replied. "What happened to Sting, by the way?"
"Mm. Our guild's customary 'Tiger, Tiger, Tiger!' eating festival took place a few days ago, you see..." Minerva began to explain.
"Ah, and he went all-out, huh?" Lucy guessed.
"Even so, I won in the end." Minerva said.
"Oh, is that why you skipped the Grand Magic Games?" Dusk questioned.
"The tournament is too dull without Fairy Tail around. That's what Sting, our guild master, believes." Minerva answered.
"Fro thinks so too!"
Dusk laughs. "Master Harumi said the exact same thing." He stated as Lucy smiled.
Minerva looks down. "Incidentally... I'm sorry for what I did to your sister at last year's tournament." She apologized.
"Huh?"
Minerva recalled how she had tortured Dawn during the Naval Battle.
"Oh, that?" Dusk asked. "It's no big deal. After all, we were just two guilds going up against one another."
"Even so, I went too far." Minerva argued.
"Seriously, Minerva. Don't worry about it. Besides, Dawn's already forgiven you." Dusk tells her, making Minerva smile softly.
Akame and Rogue were now in a maze. "What's your deal?! Is this your idea of a reunion?!" Rogue questioned.
"Show me your job flier!" Akame orders.
"Huh?"
"Just do it!"
Rogue reaches into his bag. "Here..."
"Give it!" Akame snatches the flier from him as he scans the contents. "'Destroy Avatar'... So this is it?"
"I'm taking this job." Akame informed.
"Huh?! I know Sabertooth shares their workload with Twilight Phoenix, but this is our job!" Rogue protested.
"Listen, Rogue. I'm taking over this job. In exchange, you can have all the reward money. Just promise me... you and Frosch won't leave town until I get back... no matter what." Akame tells him.
"This is crazy talk." Rogue mumbled as Akame took off. "H-Hey!"
Akame grabs Dusk, Natsu, and Lucy. "Wh-What the...? Akame?" Dusk questioned in confusion.
"Let's go, Dusk, Natsu, Lucy, Chii, Bruno, Happy!" Akame exclaimed. "Minerva! Keep an eye on Rogue and Frosch! Don't let them leave town!"
"One year from now."
"What was that about?" Rogue wondered.
"I've no idea." Minerva replied.
"Fro neither." Frosch added as Akame recalls Future Rogue's warning.
"You must tell the other me. Tell him to protect Frosch one year from now."
The group soon arrived in a forest. "Hey, Akame, what's this 'Avatar' thing Rogue was on his way to?" Natsu questioned as he was looking at the flier.
"Beats me." Akame answered, chewing on a piece of grass.
"It's a Black Magic cult." Lucy spoke up, getting their attention. "It rose up after the dark guilds collapsed. They're Zeref's followers."
"Zeref?" Natsu repeated while Akame spits out the piece of grass from his mouth.
"I don't know if he's personally involved, but the cult members basically worship Zeref as a god." Lucy explained.
"So they're Zeref's cronies, huh? Now my blood is boiling!" Akame grinned.
"Anyway, what makes you think Zack is a member of Avatar now?" Dusk asked.
"I don't get it either." Bruno agreed.
Akame puts his hand on his chin in thought as he stood up from the rock he was sitting on, leaning against a tree and still humming to himself.
"He's deep in thought for once." Chii commented.
"I guess he really can't tell us." Dusk added.
"No. I'll tell you. The Future Rogue explained it to me." Akame revealed.
"The Future Rogue?!" Dusk repeated in shock.
"And then... the day I lose Frosch... is the day I become one with the shadow."
"Frosch isn't gonna die."
"One year from now. You must tell the other me. Tell him to protect Frosch one year from now. Zack..." Future Rogue spoke, making Akame's eyes widen. "...is the one who kills Frosch..."
With that, Future Rogue vanished, leaving Akame to contemplate the information he had just heard.
"Why are you suddenly quiet, Akame?" Dusk asked, snapping Akame out of the memory. "What did the Future Rogue say?"
Akame walks towards him. "A year after the Grand Magic Games — now, in other words — we apparently run into Zack as an enemy." He revealed.
"An enemy?!" Dusk, Chii, and Bruno repeated in shock.
"So I'm thinking Zack might be where Rogue's job takes place." Akame continued.
"But we changed the future that version of Rogue came from. Will it really happen again?" Dusk asked.
"I'm not actually sure, but this is the only lead I have to go on." Akame replied.
"What does this have to do with Gray?" Natsu then questioned.
Akame looks over at him. "You mentioned Gray went missing around the same time Zack did, yeah?" He asked, making Natsu nod. "I may be going on a limb here, but it's possible they're both in Avatar."
"Being our enemy..." Lucy trailed off.
"Akame has a point. You heard Juvia. Gray had a black pattern all over his body. He had it during our fight with Mard Geer too." Natsu tells her. "I think learning Devil Slayer Magic so quickly caused Gray to get taken over by some devil-like thing."
"Oh, no..." Lucy mumbled. "Why did he keep this a secret all this time?"
"Zack and Rogue must end up fighting at some point, and Akame knows how it ends. And that's why..." Dusk began to think, clenching his fists.
Akame places his hand on Dusk's head. "Don't worry. We'll get Zack back. Even if it means I have to drag his ass back to the guild." He reassures him before looking at Natsu and Lucy. "Gray, too."
Natsu nods while Lucy just smiles.
AVATAR BLACK MAGIC CULT...
Briar and Jerome left Alok's chambers and came face to face with Mary. "Now, now! Given how hardheaded Grandfather is... I bet we'll have company soon enough. (Smile!)" Mary said.
"Quiet, Poison Tongue." Briar snaps at her.
"How mean! Quit giving people weird nicknames all the time! They're all terrible anyway!" Mary complained.
"If the Council has learned of the Purification Plan, it'd be 'might-tea' bad." Gomon informed.
"Is that a play on 'mighty'?" Mary asked with her mouth covered. "What a terrible pun. Just terrible! (Smile!)"
"Which way will fate go...?" D-6 questioned.
"All I care about is having fun." Abel commented.
"The problem is not the Council itself, but how our plan leaked out."
"In other words, there's a Council spy among us..." Gray starts.
"...and you wanna point the finger at us, yes?" Zack finished.
"Icy and Azure..." Briar muttered.
"You both are from two of the continent's greatest guilds (LOL), after all." Mary claimed.
"We've done our homework, Gray Fullbuster. Your family was killed by a demon of the Book of Zeref. Not only that, your master and her daughter also perished for reasons relating to Zeref." Jerome informed.
"So you're actually smart? Shocking." Zack comments sarcastically.
"We've also done our homework on you, Zack Orion. Your entire village was massacred by dark wizards and you wandered alone until you met your foster father, Bluoro. Who disappeared for reasons relating to Zeref." Jerome continued.
"It's true they're both the most suspicious, but why is that an issue now?" Briar questioned.
"Those two have been fellow members for over half a year." D-6 agreed.
"Neither of them have absolutely no reason to revere Zeref." Jerome responded.
"You didn't do your homework enough, 'Dark Sword' Jerome." Gray claimed. "Ur's daughter Ultear isn't dead."
"If that's all you found on me, Jerome. You obviously didn't look deep enough." Zack added.
Jerome steps forward, looking at both Gray and Zack. "There's no reason for either of you to be here." He informed.
"Enough, Bushy." Briar scolded him.
"It's fine, Briar. This is my chance to make things clear." Gray tells her. "My goal is the Book of E.N.D. That's why I'm here."
His claim shocks the group. "All I want... All I want is that book. Nothing else matters to me!" Gray continued.
"Such blackness..." Briar thinks to herself.
"My guild is a thing of the past. Getting that book — no, defeating E.N.D. — is all I live for now. And I'll gladly use you or whoever else to achieve that goal." Gray continued.
"His lust for revenge has blackened both his body and mind..." Briar thought.
"Until then, I'll be part of your little group." Gray finished as he turned and walked away.
"As for me? Well, I'm sure you've heard about Zeref's son, correct?" Zack questioned, making the group get taken aback.
Jerome narrows his eyes at Zack. "The whispers of Zeref having a son is just rumors." He claimed.
Zack chuckles. "Are you sure about that?" He challenged. "My goal here is to find him and bring him into the light. Like with Gray, my guild is also a thing in the past."
Zack turns and walks away, quickly following after Gray.
"There's no way guys with such dark magic power could be Council spies!" Mary claimed. "They both are kinda hot, though."
D-6 only nodded in agreement. "I wonder. Briar, after thinking it over... I find 'Bushy' acceptable." Jerome claimed.
Natsu, Lucy, Akame, Dusk, and their Exceeds finally arrived in Mikage Forest where Avatar was supposed to be located.
"There it is." Akame informed as the group sees the crumbled castle with brambles and trees growing out of it. "That's the place."
"It looks like an old, abandoned church." Lucy observed.
"It kind of freaks me out, not gonna lie." Dusk added.
"What's the plan, Akame?" Natsu asked.
"Take it by storm, of course!" Akame grinned, making both Dusk and Chii sigh in unison.
Natsu laughs. "I was hoping you'd say that!" He exclaimed.
"Captain. We're nearing the Mikage Forest, where Avatar is based."
"Got it."
"Unfortunately, I'm also afraid to inform you... that our spy has confirmed Gray Fullbuster and Zack Orion's affiliation with the cult."
"Gray and Zack?" The man grinned. "Hell if I care. Arrest everyone. That's our job as the Council's Custody Enforcement Unit."
MAGIC COUNCIL / GAJEEL REDFOX.
A/N: And the Avatar Arc begins!
Do you all like the reveal? Told you Gray wasn't going to be the one who kills Frosch :)
Thanks for reading!
~ Kaleb.