Chapter 94

Pain & Pleasure

"Speaking"

'Thoughts'

"Flashback"

"Magic"

Location/Date/Time Change

Porlyusica studied the downed trio as she turned away from Gray. "Juvia and Gray are going to be alright, despite their severe external injuries." The medic declared. "In Juvia's case, we have Wendy to thank."

"Not to worry. I already shrunk their wounds." Brandish added.

"Thank you." Lisanna smiled at the statement.

"But the real problem is still Natsu, isn't it?" Carla asked, earning a nod from Happy.

"Whatever is inside his body is now impossible for me to alter with my magic." The vernette declared. "In other words, it is a powerful something which has completely transcended my magic power."

"It's ability to move even when time was suspended…" Porlyusica mumbled. "That was pure, unbridled aggression with its killing intent laid bare. The like of this are far beyond my abilities as well. There's nothing I can do to help."

"That thing is a demon…" Dimaria spoke up, bound in magic sealing cuffs. "There's no other possible way to describe it."

"You're wrong!" Lisanna shouted. "I know more about him than you ever could!"

"People don't know as much about these around them as they think. Isn't that right, Randi?" The blonde teased, looking at her former ally.

Natsu's body started smoking, much to the shock of everyone in the room. "Natsu!" His mate reached out and touched his body. 'He's so cold…' "Natsu, open your eyes!"

"This is bad! His body temperature just keeps plummeting!" Porlyusica declared, the steam still rising off him. "We need to raise it somehow!" Lisanna wasted no time and quickly wrapped around her boyfriend, trying to warm him up.

"Natsu… please don't die!" Happy begged, tears falling off his face.

In a blank void, with only snow falling to the 'ground', Natsu looked around. "What is this place?"

"The inside of your heart." Natsu snapped around and found Zeref standing across from him. "Don't get any ideas, I'm not really here. As much as it pains me to say this, you are going to die soon. Which is why I'm here, to help you fill in the lost gaps in your memories. The ones before you woke up before in X777."

The blank void transformed into a small village, showing a family eating dinner. "We lived peacefully in a quaint village, us and our parents. But a dragon attacked the village, and completely annihilated. I alone survived, but through my efforts, I was able to resurrect you as my final demon. After that, I handed you off to Igneel. And it looks like here your memories start to get cloudy. Most likely a side effect of the Dragon Soul Magic."

The field changed to show child versions of Natsu and the other slayers. "Nicholas and Gajeel were always trying to fight each other. It was only when you showed up that they would stop, always caring about Wendy. Sting and Rogue looked up to you two like brothers."

"You were even cute back then." Natsu turned around to see Lisanna standing there, arms behind her back.

"Lisanna!" He rushed over to hug her, only to fall right through her. "What the-?"

"Remember, I'm not really here." She said. "Come on, it's time you learn the truth."

"Truth about what?" Natsu asked back.

"About what's growing inside your body." Lisanna replied as she walked forward, Natsu following behind. "Say Natsu, did you ever wonder where Dragon Slayer Magic came from?"

"It came from dragons, right?" He questioned. "But… why would they come up with that?"

"It was actually created by a woman named Irene." The spirit explained as a bright light blinded the man.

Sting rushed over the ground and sniffed the air before turning on his heel. "Sorry for being late!" He shouted before kicking the other blonde in the face. "Looks like you did quite a number on my guild mates!"

"My, my… yet another misguided fool dares to stand against me…" Larcade mumbled before sliding back from a punch. "Did you honestly expect such a meager attack to work on me?" Tendrils rose out of the ground and wrapped around Sting, who started eating the magic.

"The hell is this stuff…" He mumbled. "Tastes kinda funny, though…" As the last of the spell entered his mouth, Sting wiped his mouth clean. "Nothing 'White' is gonna work on me. The perks of being the White Dragon Slayer. Now… you're gonna pay for what you did to my friends. Who the hell are you, and why do you smell like Natsu?"

"This man claims to be Zeref's son…" Minerva groaned out. "And he says that Natsu is his uncle…"

"Sounds complicated." Sting mumbled. "Still, I don't need to know everything to beat this guy!" He charged forward as Larcade unleashed more waves of white magic. "I already told ya! Light and anything else that's white won't work on me!" Sting devoured the attacks before unleashing a barrage of his own. Larcade jumped back from the impacts, only to find Sting in his face.

"Holy Nova!" A punch to the gut sent Larcade flying back, who merely smiled back.

"A rather troublesome opponent… however…" Larcade landed on his feet and waved his hand. "Soul of the Forbidden Meal!" Sting's stomach started growling as he doubled over. "Your body won't be able to handle this sensation of hunger." Larcade pulled the cross off his back and flung it forward, hitting Sting in the gut as he flew back.

Landing next to Lector, the blonde turned to the side as his friend transformed into a drumstick before his eyes. "Lector… you sure look good…"

"Please, eat to your heart's content." Larcade chuckled as Sting and Lector started trying to eat each other. Yukino and Kagura started doing the same as Larcade overlooked the events. "The world of mortals is full of nothing but wants and desires. Perish as you devour each other." Larcade walked forward and picked up his cross before stabbing it into Rogue"s leg. "Resist all you want, but you will submit to your desires." Glancing over to the side, he saw the frog suited cat biting in Rogue. "Even your closest friend is unable to defy them."

Heavy blows knocked out the Sabertooth Mages as Brianna and Nicholas forced themselves up. "When on the run… we often had to go weeks… without food." The girl declared, holding her stomach. "This… this is nothing."

"It irritates me that a weaklings like you is still drawing breath." Larcade declared, glaring at the two. The pair charged forward and started throwing punches which Larcade easily dodged. "You're so weak that you can't even fight me properly." He swatted Nicholas to the side before punching Brianna in the chest. She gasped for breath as Larcade pulled the cross off his back and stabbed it into her shoulder.

Looking down, he found Brianna pulling it out as best she could. "Stop fighting back." He pushed down and shoved it deeper into the wound, spraying blood everywhere. "Die."

Nicholas looked up just in time to see Larcade kick Brianna away, blood gushing from the wound. He screamed in anger as stone rose up around him, catching Larcade by surprise. Grafting onto his skin, the rock formed a tail on his back before he launched forward, punching Larcade in the face. Larcade had no chance to retaliate as the Slayer swung his claws and tore into the flesh.

"Enough games!" Larcade jumped back as magic flowed off him. "Allow me to introduce you to the infallible magic of desire: R.I.P." White energy launched at the transformed being, only for it to suddenly sink into the ground. Larcade was suddenly pulled into the air and then slammed into the ground, gasping for air. Claws dug into his gut, trying to rip out his organs as he cried out in pain.

The stone creature looked up as Brianna pushed herself up. "This is bad…" Brianna mumbled, holding her shoulder as the others woke up. Nicholas crawled forward and sniffed her like a dog. "That's right… it's me. No need to attack…" He snapped his head and growled at Yukino before rushing at her and jumping in the air. Rogue got in front of her, a shadowy aura around him.

"Minerva!"

A swirling mass swallowed Nicholas, much to Yukino's relief. "Someone wanna tell me what that was about?" Rogue asked, his magic dying around him.

"THAT was what we have been working on for the last year." Sting replied. "Turning back to human isn't as cut and dry as it seems. M'lady, those two and I been trying to get Nicholas to control it."

"We need to get him to Mirajane." Brianna declared. "Since she has that… demons soul in her, she can probably order him back to normal."

Minerva smiled at the victory before freezing at the sight of Kagura. "I didn't know that you would be here…"

"Well, I am…" Kagura gripped her sword tight, unconsciously touching her stomach.

"I don't think I ever apologized for what I did to you at the Games last year." The spatial mage realized.

"It's okay, I've let it go." The swordswoman replied. "Honestly, I e decided to live my life without holding grudges. The past is behind me." Minerva gave a soft smile at the reply, a little more hope in her heart. "Anyway… seems this girl is having some interesting dreams… but who is she?" Kagura asked, pointing at Angel.

"Uh, about that…" Yukino nervously mumbled.

"Guess it's all up to them, now…" Sting chuckled as he looked up at the sky.

"Yeah, they're all yours, Fairy Tail." Rogue added.

"No problem." Brianna said with a smile. "Let's go, Minerva. Nicholas isn't gonna change himself back to normal." The other woman nodded before the two raced towards the battlefield.

With Erza & Wendy

Erza screamed as she swung her sword, only to find her attack blocked by the older woman's staff. Irene thrusted her staff forward and Erza dodged it, much to her surprise. She held out her hand and an explosion rocketed Erza into the air, her body glowing. "Heaven's Wheel! Blumenblatt!" Hundreds of swords rained down onto her foe as she jumped back.

"Did that stop her?" Wendy asked from behind.

"No, defeating her will prove far more difficult…" Erza replied.

As the dust began to clear, the sound of clapping grew louder and louder. "An attack of a countless swords, all converging on their target…" Irene surmised. "I'm impressed you can control that many at once, it's impressive." The dust completely blew away, showing Irene standing in the middle of a flower of blades. "For all your hard work, you earned a flower."

"She's mocking me…" Erza mumbled.

"Come on, Erza. You had this girl enhance your power and this is the best you could do?" Irene asked, touching her staff to the closest sword. "Shame. How disappointing." Every blade started melting as Irene walked forward.

"Tell me who you really are!" Erza ordered.

"Still haven't figure that out?" The older woman asked. "No, deep in your heart you know exactly who I am. You just don't want to admit it."

"I've never seen you before." Erza declared, her armor returning to normal.

Irene chuckled as looked Erza dead in the face. "Now, now, Erza… that's a rude thing to say to your mother."

"YOU LIE!" Erza shouted in front of a stunned Wendy. "I grew up in Rosemary Village alone! I'm an orphan, I have no family!"

"You're wrong about that. I am your mother, Erza." Irene chuckled.

"There was only one parent in my life, his name was Master Makarov." The swordswoman declared.

"Fine, if that's what you want. Besides, just because I have a daughter, doesn't mean I care about her." Irene replied. "In fact, I thought you were dead all these years. I never would have dreamed that we'd have meet on the battlefield. Fate works in mysterious ways."

"No matter who you are, you attacked my guild. And that makes you my enemy." Erza growled.

"Just as anyone who threatens the Alvarez Empire is my enemy, even my own child." Irene added. "Still, dying out here, ignorant of the secret of your birth, that would be tragic."

"It means nothing to me." Erza declared, summoning a sword.

"I've held onto this story for years…" Irene teased. "You could at least allow me to share it with you, Erza."

"Silence!" Erza charged forward, blade at the ready, only to find her mother suddenly in her face.

"My name is Irene Belserion… and once upon a time, I was Queen of the Dragons."