Welcome back everyone! This chapter's a little more chill compared to the last few. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter title taken from the lyrics of the song Quiet War by Les Friction


KEEPING SECRETS CHAPTER 37: MY ENEMY IS HUMAN, TOO

At the very least, when Lucy awoke from her nap in her guest room in the Imperial Palace, she didn't tense up like she was going to be attacked this time.

And there was no awkward confrontation/ conversation needed so she could use someone else's bathroom- this time, her room came with its own private one. She took advantage of it, soaking in a long, hot bath. It certainly eased the tension in her muscles, but did nothing to calm the storm raging in her thoughts.

After drying off and changing into a simple robe she found hanging on the door, she found herself sitting on the bed, absent-mindedly running her fingers over her keys.

She needed to talk to someone. And maybe, get some answers.

Natsu, Zeref, and that Jacob guy were able to use spatial magic earlier, despite Marin being around... maybe he can allow exceptions for his allies.

While she wasn't exactly an ally, perhaps he didn't view her as a threat anymore. It was worth a shot.

Taking a deep breath, she held up three of her keys: "Open! Gate of the Lion, gate of the Maiden, gate of the Goat! Loke, Virgo, Capricorn!"

Her magic swelled, a golden light filled the room, and three familiar figures materialized before her.

"Lucy!" Loke stepped forward immediately, his usual smirk missing, replaced by genuine concern. "Are you alright? We tried to get through to you, but something was blocking us!"

Virgo dropped into a bow. "Princess, please direct me to the one responsible, they are in need of punishment."

Capricorn adjusted his sunglasses. "Seeing that you're able to summon us again, I take it the threat has passed?"

Lucy sighed, dragging her hand down her face. "God, where do I even begin..." She exhaled again, before saying, "Well, I'll start with why you couldn't reach me. That Marin guy from Alvarez was back, and blocked my magic again... and then the empire took me captive."

Loke's eyes widened. "W-what? But, how'd you get away?"

"I didn't." She said flatly. "We're in Vistarion. This is a guest room in the Imperial Palace."

All three spirits stared at her.

"Wait... a guest room?" Loke asked, his sunglasses sliding slightly down his nose.

Virgo blinked. "In Zeref's palace?"

Capricorn titled his head. "And they let you keep your keys? Most curious."

Lucy let out another sigh. "Yeah, well- guess that's one of the perks of being friends with the prince."

Her spirits stared again, eyes wider this time.

Loke folded his arms. "Okay, now I know I misheard you."

"Prince?" Virgo echoed, her head titled and finger on her lips.

"Friends?" Capricorn added, disbelief in his voice.

Lucy stared back. "Wait... you guys really didn't know?"

She thought after what she witnessed in the hall of memories, they would have known the truth about Zeref and Natsu's relation. After all, her ancestor Anna had helped with the plan. She had thought they might have been contracted to stay quiet. But their confusion seemed genuine.

She gripped the sheets beneath her, grounding herself. "One of the dragon slayers you brought to the future... was actually Zeref's younger brother."

Their reactions varied. Loke stiffened, Capricorn raised a brow, and Virgo furrowed hers in thought.

"I feel like... I almost remember..." Loke muttered, pressing a hand to his temple.

Their memories were tampered with, Lucy realized.

"Judging by appearances alone... is it Rogue?" Virgo asked.

Lucy let out a dry, short laugh. "No... here, this'll help." She met their eyes. "Zeref's last name is Dragneel."

The air in the room grew heavy as the realization seemed to hit all of her spirits at once.

"No way... wait- of course! I remember now!" Loke gasped, clenching his fists. "After we sent them through the Eclipse Gate, Zeref sealed our memories- about him and Natsu! He didn't want anyone knowing he and Natsu were related. He was trying to protect Natsu, to make sure he could have a normal life and ensure he was never hunted down for his sake."

"So Sir Natsu... Is Prince Natsu?" Virgo asked uncertainly, as if testing the title.

Capricorn's expression hardened. "Since that's the case, that would mean..."

Lucy nodded, her voice quiet. "Natsu... was never kidnapped. He was never a prisoner. He's been helping Zeref ever since he got his own memory back. He helped Alvarez take Fairy Heart, and then... they used it to power a rebuilt R System, and brought their mother back from the dead."

Silence. The weight of her words pressed down like gravity.

Loke looked stunned. "You're... serious?"

Lucy gave him a tired look. "You think I would joke about this?"

"Huh. Well, if nothing else, that certainly explains why Zeref always favored Natsu over the others." Virgo said.

Another heavy silence settled over the room, the weight of Lucy's revelation still hanging thick in the air.

Then, like a dam breaking, Loke's exploded.

"You've got to be kidding me!" He snapped, fists clenched and hazel eyes flashing with anger. "After everything- the worrying he put us through- he had just up and betrayed the guild? He was a filthy traitor this whole time?"

Lucy flinched at the words 'filthy traitor'. She had felt the same way at first, of course. But after listening to Natsu's reasoning, her conviction had begun to unravel.

"I thought so too at first, Loke," she admitted quietly, "But after I talked with him... I don't think it's that simple."

Loke exhaled sharply and began pacing like a caged animal. "Not that simple? Lucy, he helped Zeref attack the guild! He stole Fairy Heart!" He turned on her, jabbing a finger in her direction. "You're telling me that's not betrayal?"

Lucy's grip tightened on the bedsheets. "This is exactly why he didn't tell us. He was afraid of this kind of reaction."

Loke scoffed, but Lucy pressed on.

"Don't get me wrong, this whole ordeal makes my stomach turn." Her voice trembled slightly. "But... I can see now that he really did try to use his position to help us."

Capricorn nodded thoughtfully. "I see. The 'no kill' order Lady Brandish mentioned makes more sense now."

Lucy nodded. "He's trying to save his brother. And as much as it unsettles me who his brother is... I understand. If I had a chance to save my mom, or even my dad... I'd do it."

Her voice rang with conviction. But then she added, more hesitantly; "But also... Natsu has changed. His attitude on things, the way he talks about magic, is different now. He said... it didn't bother him, using the Tower of Heaven, because it's the mage that makes the magic good or bad."

Quieter, she continued, "He's... a lot more like Zeref than the Natsu we knew." She swallowed, forcing herself to admit the truth. "And it scares me. I want to believe him, to support him... but it's just a lot."

Virgo tilted her head. "Well, Princess, if you're afraid of losing Natsu to darkness... then couldn't you be the one to pull him back to the light?"

Loke scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "It's really not that simple, Virgo."

His expression darkened as he turned back to Lucy. "Natsu's crossed a line- no, lines- and from what you've said, it sounds like he's made it pretty damn clear he doesn't want to be saved, pulled back, whatever."

His voice softened slightly, but the weight in it remained. "You need to realize, Lucy, if you want to support him or stand by him... you'll have to follow him over those lines too."

Lucy's throat tightened. "I know that... I just..." She let out a shuddering breath. " I don't know what to do."

Loke's expression faltered. Clearly, he hadn't expected her to admit that. From the way his eyes widened, he thought his warning would shake her resolve—but instead, it only confirmed how deeply she was struggling with the choice.

Lucy hugged her arms around herself. "It feels wrong. Like it goes against everything I've ever been taught—about magic, morality, right and wrong. But... the things Natsu, Zeref, and the others were saying..." Her voice was quiet, conflicted. "They actually made sense."

Loke stared at her for a moment, stunned. He took a step closer, ready to argue, but Capricorn lifted a hand.

"As strange as this may sound... I agree with the Alvarez mages."

Loke spun toward him. "You what?!"

"The caster defines their magic's purpose." Capricorn said evenly. "Good or evil depends entirely on who's wielding it."

"How can you say that?" Loke snapped.

Capricorn calmly adjusted his sunglasses. "Lady Anna- and the Eclipse Gate."

Loke stiffened.

"Lady Anna was an associate of Zeref, even going so far as to consider him a friend. Lady Layla also assisted him."

"That's different! That was-"

"To save the world?" Capricorn finished for him, crossing his arms. "Yes. But it still relied on Zeref's magic, specifically the Eclipse Gate. And I have no doubt the Magic Council would label it 'black magic.' Taboo. Evil."

He paused for a moment, his gaze steady. "If you agree, what does that make us?"

Loke's lips parted, but no words came.

Capricorn turned to Lucy, his expression unreadable. "In the end, Lady Lucy, that is only my view. Just as Loke's is his. Only you can decide the path you will walk- and what all of this means to you."

Virgo stepped forward, gently placing her hand over Lucy's and offering a warm, encouraging smile. "Whatever you choose, we will stand by your side."

Loke let out a long, frustrated sigh and rubbed the back of his head. "Right. What she said."

He looked at Lucy, tone more relaxed now. "So if we end up needing to kick Natsu's ass, then fine. Or, on the other hand..." His voice faltered, expression twisting into something almost pained. "We'll be there for you during what's going to be a very awkward conversation with the rest of the guild..."

That earned a small laugh from Lucy. "Thank you. All of you." She smiled. "I feel better, knowing you've all got my back."

Loke gave a two fingered salute. "Anytime, Princess."

Virgo suddenly perked up, mischievous glint in her eyes. "Oh, that makes me think of something." She leaned toward Lucy, voice sly. "If you confess your feelings to Natsu, Princess- and he returns them- since he's an actual prince... you'd be an actual princess!"

Loke laughed. "Oh yeah! I guess she would be!" Even Capricorn looked amused.

Lucy, meanwhile, turned bright red. "Alright, that's enough, bye!"

Her spirits waved, still clearly amused, as she closed their gates.


Lucy repeated the process with her other spirits. Opinions on what Natsu had done differed, but each of them assured Lucy they'd support her- no matter which path she chose.

After she had spoken to them all, she leaned back against the pillows with a long sigh. She still didn't know which path she would take, but her head did feel clearer, like some weight had finally been lifted from her shoulders.

It made her realize- she was starving.

Sliding off the bed, she made her way to where she'd tossed her clothes after undressing for the bath... only to find they were gone. Confused, her eyes landed on a nearby table, where a neatly folded stack of clothes sat with a small note tucked on top.

-Your clothes are being washed. Please accept these complimentary replacements while you wait.

"Well," she muttered, holding the shirt up with a raised brow. "Efficient, I guess..."

She most certainly didn't love the idea of the staff coming into her room while she was in the bath, but at least they were discreet. And thorough.

Her nose wrinkled as she examined the replacement outfit: a black t-shirt and matching pants.

Seriously, all black?

Realization dawned as her fingers tightened around the fabric. Of course they'd be all black, this is Zeref's empire after all. Even Natsu was wearing all black now.

She changed quickly, then stood in front of the mirror, tugging the shirt into place and running her fingers through her hair. Cancer had dried it for her when she had summoned him to talk, but she considered summoning him again to style it some way for her. Only to hesitate.

Natsu's probably just asleep in his room, he won't be in the cafeteria. Why bother?

She sighed, and then, a moment later, froze.

Wait, since when is that my deciding factor in caring how I look?!

Her face burned. Spinning away from the mirror, she snatched her keys from the nightstand and stormed toward the door.

Her mood soured, she tried to distract herself with thoughts of anything but Natsu.

Eventually, she found a guard and asked for directions. The moment he scanned her badge, his entire demeanor changed—he stiffened, straightened, and regarded her with extreme professionalism.

Apparently, being labeled a "special guest" of Prince Natsu came with special treatment.

I was kidding about having perks for being friends with the prince, she thought dryly. But I guess I wasn't wrong.

After several minutes of navigating a dizzying maze of corridors and stairs, the guard finally opened a pair of double doors for her.

The cafeteria was massive- which made sense, if it was meant to feed the entire palace staff. Judging by how long it had taken just to walk here, she couldn't begin to imagine how big this palace actually was.

As she moved through the food lines, tray in hand, Lucy took it all in- soldiers, bureaucrats, palace staff, civilian workers- people of all kinds filling the room with conversation and laughter. She even saw a man who looked like he had invited his entire family for dinner, his children giggling through bites of food as warm evening rays of fading sunlight filtered through the tall windows behind them.

They all were just... eating. Laughing. Living.

It certainly didn't feel like they had just waged war on Ishgar.

Lucy sat alone, at an empty table in a corner of the cafeteria and started to pick at her food, trying to sort through her thoughts.

"You're all just Zeref's evil minions!"

She shook her head at the memory. Shocked and hurt or not, she was starting to feel bad for reducing an entire continent full of everyday people to that.

They weren't all ruthless soldiers or killers—many were just ordinary people, living their lives, getting through their days like anyone Lucy knew back in Ishgar.

In the midst of her reverie, a voice broke through her thoughts. "Well, well, well. Look at this poor little depressed racoon."

Lucy blinked as Brandish slid into the chair across from her, an infuriating smirk plastered on her face.

"Huh?"

"You either have the worst eyeshadow job I've ever seen or this day's just really kicked your ass. You got some gnarly dark circles around your eyes."

Lucy's face flushed. "Shut up! Obviously, it's been an insane day." She stabbed at the chicken on her plate and muttered indignantly, "I don't even wear eyeshadow."

Brandish chuckled, though her expression softened ever so slightly. "Yeah, I guess you have. Still, getting the royal treatment after the whole kidnapping fiasco can't be that bad." Her knowing smirk suddenly returned, "Or maybe your distress has more to do with a certain prince? Must sting, knowing you're not the only one who has their eyes on him anymore..."

"Wh-wha- no! I already told you-"

"Blah blah blah, 'I'm not interested, idiot!'" Brandish mocked, in a dramatic impersonation of Lucy. "You keep that tired tsundere routine up, and you'll find yourself sitting all alone, red faced and calling him an idiot but actually thinking how much you love him. Meanwhile I'm in his room and we're-"

"Gah- stop!" Lucy threw her hands up in surrender. "I am not a tsundere! And how can you just sit there and say stuff like that with a straight face!?"

"Because unlike you, I actually can admit what I want. And I'm not going to sit around playing shy so someone can swoop in and take him away, like you have." She sipped on her drink. "Let me put it this way- if he had looked at me and went in for a kiss, dare or not, no way in Hell I'd use his talking cat friend as a shield 'cause I was too flustered. That's what you call absolutely blowing it."

Lucy's face burned even hotter. "He told you that?" She squeaked.

"Sure did." Brandish replied with a shrug. Then, with a more genuine sigh, she added, "I actually don't usually talk like this. I'm not Dimaria, after all."

Her smirk returned. "But, I'm quickly learning how much fun it is to mess with you about this stuff, and that outweighs any awkwardness I might feel later. And fair warning, if you ever do meet Dimaria? If you think I'm bad, she'll eat you for breakfast."

"Dimaria, the warrior queen. She's a mage and knight." She remembered Makarov speaking of her when he was briefing the guild about what he knew of the Spriggan 12. Never in her wildest dreams did Lucy think she would have to speak to the woman, especially not relating to being teased over her love life. "Ugh. Nice to know someone's having a good time." Lucy bemoaned.

Brandish focused on her food for a moment. Then, quietly, she said, "Well, friends mess with each other, right? And you said you wanted to be friends...

That caught Lucy's attention.

There was a softness in Brandish's eyes, but it quickly faded as she said, "Unless that was something you were just saying in the heat of the moment..."

Lucy looked genuinely surprised. "I-uh- no. I meant what I said." She said firmly, her voice steadying.

Brandish smiled. "Well, good. But don't think that means I'm gonna roll over and let you have Natsu just 'cause we're friends now."

"Oh, no, I definitely didn't think that," Lucy replied, exasperated. "You've made your feelings for him crystal clear."

"Glad we understand each other. Don't look so down, Heartfilia. There are worse people here to be friends with."

"Hey! We making friends over here?" A voice Lucy would have been happy to never hear again butted in.

Brandish chuckled. "Speak of the devil."

Jackal loudly dropped his tray onto the table and plopped down in the seat beside Lucy. His face lit up like an excited puppy. "So you wanna be friends now?"

Lucy grimaced. "Yeah, no, I'll have to pass."

Jackal looked genuinely hurt. "What?! Why?! I did you a favor! I reunited you with the boss!"

It occurred to Lucy this etherious really thought kidnapping her had been some sort of favor for her and Natsu.

Part of her was infuriated, and wanted to pummel him into the ground. The rest of her was just exhausted.

She dragged her hand across her face. "You seriously thought that would make both of us happy?"

Jackal blinked, confused. "Wait, what? Are you not-"

His question was cut off as someone chopped him on the head, right in between his ears, causing him to yelp in pain.

"Please stop talking." Came a dry, unimpressed voice. "The rest of us can only take so much of your idiocy at a time."

The man named Rusty pushed Jackal's chair down the table, and slipped an empty seat in between Jackal and Lucy.

"Geez Rusty," Jackal whined, rubbing his head. "If ya wanted to make friends too, you could have said it a lot nicer!"

Rusty snorted. "Don't lecture me on kindness when you thought you were doing this poor fairy a favor by taking her hostage and holding an explosion curse to her throat."

Jackal huffed, crossing his arms and turning away, ear flat against his head. "But I wasn't actually going to use it!"

Rusty narrowed his eyes at Jackal. "You know, I'm going to have so much fun coming up with a punishment for you for this whole fiasco."

Jackal looked smug. "Pfffft. Dream on, fruit loop. The boss won't let you do anything to me!"

Rusty smirked, pushing his goggles up on the bridge of his nose. "Oh, contrare." He pulled a rectangular lacrima, that heavily resembled the ones Warren had developed, out of his pocket. He tapped it a few times and it let up, and then held it out for Jackal to see.

Lucy caught a glimpse of the message:

From Natsu: Come up with a punishment to make sure Jackal never pulls something this stupid again. Ask Invel if you need ideas.'"

Jackal's ears flattened again, and he stared at Rusty's lacrima like it had betrayed him. "What? No fair!" He groaned, slamming his head against the table.

Lucy almost laughed at the scene.

"By the way," Rusty said suddenly, rising from his seat with a flourish. He threw out his arms, coat billowing dramatically behind him as if he were performing on a stage. "I don't think I ever introduced myself properly!"

Lucy blinked as he stood there like a stage actor, awaiting applause.

"I am Rustyrose! Wielder of Arc of Embodiment- one of the most elegant lost magics in the world!" He proclaimed, his voice echoing across the cafeteria. To Lucy's surprise, few paid any mind to him. "Your friend- His Highness- rescued me from a life of wallowing in self-pity and showed me the truth of the ultimate magic world! After I foolishly crossed His Majesty during my... misguided time with Grimoire Heart, Prince Natsu so graciously offered me a second chance! I now proudly serve as his chief of staff!"

He bowed low, a hand over his chest, clearly pleased with himself.

Lucy stared, trying to find the right words to respond to this... spectacle.

"Uh...hi. Lucy Heartfilia. Celestial spirit mage, and member of Fairy Tail." She furrowed her brow. "Wait, did you just say you were NATSU'S chief of staff?! I thought you were with the Spriggan 12!"

"Nope!" Jackal chimed in brightly, apparently recovered from his earlier devastation. "Me and Rusty here? We're the shields of salamander! I'm like the boss's very own August!"

Rusty immediately scowled. "Do not dishonor Lord August by comparing yourself to him."

Jackal's ears flattened as his face twisted in rage. "Oh yeah? You really think you're so much better than me, wannabe Invel?"

"I'm not-"

Their bickering devolved into overlapping insults, and Lucy leaned back to ensure she stayed out of their line of fire.

Across the table, Brandish snickered into her cup, clearly entertained. With a genuine smile, she said, "They're something, huh?"

Lucy just shook her head.

The fact that Natsu had 'shields' at all was... weird. Even if he were a prince now, it felt strange. This was Natsu, after all- who always charged in headfirst, who never let anyone else fight his battles for him. The idea of someone defending him, or fighting in his place was almost comical.

But what really gnawed at her was Jackal.

No matter how chipper he acted now, Lucy was bothered by the fact Natsu had the dog-like etherious working so closely with him. She hadn't forgotten what he'd done during Fairy Tail's battle with Tartaros. The memory of his sadistic laughter while he had tortured her was burned into her mind. The horrible pain of the explosion curses lighting up her skin...

It stung more than a little, in all honesty.

Still, watching Jackal and Rusty argue like squabbling schoolboys in front of her... somehow, it made a bizarre kind of sense. These two absolute morons were Natsu's so-called shields?

Yeah. That checked out.

Her train of thoughts was abruptly derailed as someone at the far end of the table kicked a chair out, and slumped heavily into it. He sat with his head down, arms crossed tightly, radiating frustration and grief.

Brandish glanced over, the amusement fading from her eyes. "How's Dimaria doing?" She asked, voice soft.

The man didn't answer at first. When he did, his voice was low and thick with emotion- like he'd been crying. "She'll live." He said, clenching his fists. "But they couldn't reattach her arm. She'll never fight the same way again!" His fists slammed against the table, his voice cracking. "I should've stopped them. I should've protected her- but I got too wrapped up in my own fight. I was out cold, and I didn't even know what was happening until her screams woke me up. I-I- I'm a failure."

Brandish sighed. "If she was here right now, she'd be making fun of you for crying over this." Despite her teasing, her voice was gentler now. "It might not be easy, but she's tough. There's no doubt in my mind she'll bounce back from this."

When he had turned to face them, Lucy recognized him instantly.

Ajeel.

The Desert King, the member of the Spriggan 12 who'd nearly buried them alive when they'd escaped Vistarion after rescuing Master Makarov.

He had been ruthless. Merciless. Dangerous. Bloodthirsty.

But now? Now, he was none of those things. He was just a man, raw with emotion, devastated over someone he clearly loved.

Someone who, from the sound of it, nearly didn't make it home.

Guilt stirred in Lucy's chest- again. Her earlier thoughts, her declaration on the airship's bridge of who these people were- felt more and more wrong. The Alvarez Empire, the Spriggan 12- weren't cartoon villains, plotting ways to terrify the world...

They were just people. People who, by happenstance, found themselves opposed to the side Lucy had been on.

She hesitated a moment, biting her lip, before offering softly, "I hope she'll be okay."

Ajeel nodded. "Thanks," he muttered, eyes dropping down to his untouched tray of food. But then, his brow furrowed and he glanced back at her. "Wait- who're you?"

Before Lucy could answer, Brandish chimed in. "One of His Highness's friends from Fairy Tail. Jackal graciously brought her here as a 'guest' after we pulled back from the Magic Council Headquarters." She smirked, amusement barely concealed in her usually monotone voice. "And yes, the one he's hung up on."

Lucy opened her mouth to protest but was ignored.

Ajeel's eyes widened and then he let out an honest, warm laugh. "Wow. Nice going Jackal." Turning from the now-fuming etherious, he addressed Lucy, his mood noticeably lighter. "Yo, I'm Ajeel. They call me-"

"-the Desert King." Lucy cut in flatly. "I remember. You graciously let us know when you tried to kill me and my guildmates outside Vistarion about a month ago."

Ajeel scratched the back of his neck, looking sheepish. "OH yeah, that... hey, look, sorry, it was nothing personal. Total misunderstanding!"

Lucy frowned. "You seemed to be enjoying yourself an awful lot for a misunderstanding. Y'know, with the murder- sandstorm."

Ajeel laughed. "Well, what can I say? I was just following orders, and I take threats against my home seriously! I just didn't realize the orders His Majesty gave me were total bullshit. So yeah, my bad."

Brandish snorted. "And I thought I made a bad first impression on Lucy here." She turned to the celestial mage, grinning. "So who here made the worse first impression?"

Lucy didn't hesitate to glance past Brandish and Ajeel to a certain sulking etherious across the table. "Jackal, not even a contest."

"What?! How?!" Jackal sputtered.

Lucy raised a finger and began counting. "Let's see, you tried to blow up me, Natsu, Wendy, and Happy. Then you tried to make me choose between you killing a former Magic Councilman or a pregnant woman. Then you tried to blow up the entire town. And after that, you tortured me on the cube..."

A stunned silence fell over the table. After a moment, Ajeel let out a chuckle of disbelief before he said, "Holy shit dude, that's messed up."

"Yeah, well I said I was sorry!" Jackal snapped, fuming and crossing his arms. He turned to Lucy again. "If I'm so awful, who here had the best first impression?"

Lucy pointed straight to Rustyrose. "He's the only one here who didn't try to kill me when we first met. He wins by default."

Rusty adjusted his goggles smugly. "You see, I remember my upbringing, and know how to be a proper gentleman when the time calls for it."

"Oh please. Don't get a big head, ya damn drama queen. I'm sure she didn't care for all your yapping about 'ultimate magic world' or whatever." Jackal shot back.

Rusty looked offended. "You may lack the intelligence to comprehend, you stupid mutt, but I'm sure Miss Lucy, like our other esteemed colleagues here, completely understands my love of the ultimate magic world? Righ-"

He looked up expectantly, only to see Ajeel, Brandish, and Lucy staring at him blankly.

"Hey Heartfilia. Unspoken rule around here, but never mention the ultimate magic world around Rusty. He'll be monologuing for the rest of the night now." Brandish said.

Rusty looked horrified. "Lady Brandish, surely you're not bothered by-"

Ajeel snorted, cutting Rusty's plea off. "Bet you wish I would have proposed that anti-monloguing rule to His Majesty now, huh, Brandish?"

For the first time since this fiasco had started, Lucy laughed-really laughed- along with the others.


After more debates about monologuing, the ultimate magic world, and Jackal's distinct lack of intelligence, Lucy made a brisk escape from the cafeteria. She had no idea where she was going- only that it needed to be somewhere quiet...

"Heartfilia."

Lucy stopped and turned, finding Brandish behind her, arms crossed, unreadable expression on her face.

"Come with me." She said, waving Lucy over. "Wanna show you one of my favorite places in the palace." Smirking, she added, "Also, our other charming table guests aren't invited."

That alone was enough incentive. Lucy quickly nodded and followed her.

They walked for what felt like forever, winding through corridors and climbing more stairs than Lucy could count. She was about to accuse Brandish of leading her on a wild goose chase until the Spriggan pushed open a door at the top of a staircase. Beyond them was a balcony bathed in the glow of the sunset, offering a breathtaking view of Vistarion.

Lucy let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Wow..."

Brandish settled into a waiting lounge chair. "Yeah, the walk up here sucks but the view's worth it, don't you think?"

Lucy nodded. "It's beautiful." She sat in the chair next to Brandish.

Brandish offered a soft smile. "You looked like you needed somewhere quiet after dealing with those buffoons in the cafeteria. I got some ice cream on the way, too." She hesitated, her voice becoming uncharacteristically serious, "So, how are you feeling now?"

Lucy was almost surprised by Brandish's question, until she remembered what the Spriggan had said about wanting to be friends before the others had arrived and chaos ensued. "Um... I'm... okay..."

Brandish narrowed her eyes. "Really? You still look like you're about two seconds from falling apart."

Lucy sighed and leaned back. "No, really, I do feel better than before, it's just..." She paused, struggling to untangle the mess of emotions in her chest. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do now. Part of me just wants to head home, but... part of me feels like it's wrong to leave Natsu behind..."

"You should go." Brandish immediately deadpanned. "It'd be good for-"

"Yeah suddenly, I don't feel like your advice is coming from a selfless place." Lucy deadpanned back.

"Oh? You really wouldn't mind being around His Majesty and us evil minions?"

There was a playful demeanor to Brandish's voice, but it still hurt Lucy to hear. She groaned. "I'm never going to live that down, am I?"

Brandish chuckled. "Nope. But... from the sounds of that, has your mind really changed that fast?"

Lucy sighed. "After listening to Natsu... and seeing all of you laugh and joke with one another in the cafeteria... I admit it, I was wrong. It feels like I'm betraying everything I've ever known to say it, but seeing all of that... it feels even more wrong to call all of you evil."

Brandish hummed in affirmation. "Guess it makes sense you'd change your mind after talking to Natsu. Speaking of... I'm curious. What made you fall for him?"

Lucy turned red. "F-f-fall for him?!"

"Oh, my bad, I forgot, you're clearly not interested in him." She laughed as Lucy stuttered for a response. "Guess I'll go first, then."

Her expression changed into something thoughtful. "Other than him being attractive- which he very much is- what I think I love most about him is his kindness. You can't fake the way he lights up a room. It's like- sees the best in everyone, even when they don't see it in themselves."

Lucy found herself nodding, thinking of the warm feeling she'd get whenever Natsu would burst into the guildhall with that big grin of his on his face, and of how he'd always cheered her on, especially back when she was the new girl in the guild, unsure of herself and her place. "Yeah... I'd agree with that." She paused, then added with a sheepish laugh, "I don't know about you, but it really makes you wonder how he and...your emperor are siblings."

It occurred to her seconds later that she had just agreed to Natsu being attractive. Her face instantly heated up, again.

Brandish snickered, but didn't comment further, much to Lucy's quiet relief.

"You have no idea how much His Majesty brightened up with Natsu around." She sighed before she continued, voice soft and almost wistful. "I know everyone in Ishgar sees him as this monster—the Black Wizard, a tyrant, bringer of death and all that... but let me tell you my view, as someone who's grown up around him. I've never seen him as evil. Pragmatic and cold sometimes, sure. But he's mostly just... distant. Hands off. Honestly? He's kinda boring. Detached, like he was just drifting through the world, waiting for it to end... which, I guess, he was."

She smiled faintly. "But when Natsu showed up... something changed. You could see it in him. His blank expressions turned into actual smiles- small at first, but real. And his eyes stopped looking so empty. You might find this hard to believe, but I've always found His Majesty to be a kind person. But this past year was the first time I'd ever heard him laugh."

Lucy blinked, a new realization coming to her. She had been so focused on what Zeref's influence had done to Natsu, that she hadn't even considered what kind of influence Natsu's presence had on Zeref.

Leaning back with a knowing smile on her face, Brandish added, "You know Natsu even got His Majesty- and the rest of the Twelve- out to a bar one night?"

Lucy cocked her head, suddenly remembering the bizarre, chaotic photograph of Zeref and Natsu singing. "Was that the karaoke night? I saw a picture in Natsu's room on the airship."

Brandish snorted. "If you could call what they did singing, which I wouldn't."

Lucy let out a genuine laugh. "That bad?"

"Worse." Smiling as Lucy continued to laugh at the image of Natsu and Zeref trying (and failing) to sing karaoke, Brandish added, "No, seriously. Lady Irene walked out of the building with her hands over her ears. And God Serena- bless his sparkly little heart- despite his undying devotion to Natsu, was barely able to fake a smile during it. It was so put on I thought his face might crack."

Lucy's laughter was stifled a little by the mention of Irene. Thinking of that woman, after how she had treated Erza, the mention of her left a sour taste in her mouth. "Speaking of Irene... who is she, exactly?"

Brandish folded her arms behind her head. "The empire's most powerful enchantress. Nobody- aside from the emperor and Grandpa August- can hold a candle to her power. Even among the Spriggan 12, she's terrifying."

Lucy furrowed her brow. "It's just... when we were leaving Era, on that airship- she was sick, alongside God Serena..."

Brandish tilted her head. "Yeah, she's a dragon slayer too, I think. No one really talks about it. Don't ask me why, I don't know."

Lucy hesitated, before pressing forward, "It's just... that stuff she was saying to my friend Erza... it was more than cruel... it sounded like it was personal."

Brandish gave her a knowing look. "Well, it probably was, given that was her daughter."

Lucy's eyes widened. "Daughter?!"

Brandish shrugged. "Is it really that surprising? They look almost identical."

It really wasn't now that Lucy thought about it. The same crimson hair, the similar facial features... it made sense.

As if sensing her next question, Brandish sighed. "I don't know what the deal is between them, but I guess it goes without saying that it's bad."

Lucy felt a pang of sadness for Erza. She had suffered through so much- growing up an orphan, being a slave in the tower of Heaven, watching as Jellal descended into madness. And now to find out the mother she didn't know she had was working for her enemies, and belittled her like she was nothing more than an insect.

Not sure what else to say about the matter, Lucy shook off her somber thoughts. But then, something else Brandish had said tugged at her curiosity. "Wait... what did you mean by God Serena's undying devotion to Natsu?"

Brandish burst out laughing- real, hearty laughter that caught Lucy off guard.

"Oh, that." She said when she caught her breath, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "When Natsu first arrived in the Empire, God Serena challenged him to a battle. Something about proving who the better dragon slayer was. Well, Natsu won."

Lucy reeled. "You're telling me Ishgar's former number one wizard saint lost to Natsu?"

Brandish snickered. "He sure did. And that last attack must have fried something in his brain because ever since then he's been Natsu's biggest fanboy. I'm not exaggerating. If you think Jackal's bad, you haven't seen how Serena follows him around like a lost puppy with sparkles in his eyes. Honestly, I'm shocked His Majesty hasn't transferred him to the 'shields of salamander', as Jackal called them, yet."

Lucy could only stare. Natsu had always been strong—one of Fairy Tail's fiercest fighters—but taking down the top wizard in Ishgar? That wasn't just impressive. That was world-shaking.

But it was starting to make a strange kind of sense. With Zeref as his brother— that kind of power in his blood—it stood to reason that Natsu's potential was off the charts. Maybe more than even he realized.

Before Lucy could think or say anything more, a new voice chimed in, "Two sundaes for my absolute favorite lady in the empire!"

Lucy turned to see Marin grinning ear to ear as he placed a sundae in front of Brandish like he was presenting a crown. Then, his eyes landed on her.

His grin vanished.

"And, uh... what are you doing here?"

Lucy sighed. Oh boy, here we go.

"I just can't fathom what a C-lister like you would be doing in the presence of an A plus plus like Lady Brandish!"

Lucy's eyebrow twitched. "Excuse me?"

Marin raised one hand in mock innocence, the other wagging a finger at her like a disapproving teacher. "Well, you're cute enough,I guess. Maybe in the right lighting and a good dress you could be a B... but honestly? Being here, right next to Lady Brandish... I see granting you an A plus rank on Caracole was nothing more than a passing whim. Let's be honest, compared to my lady, you don't stand a chance with the prince-"

"WHAT?" Lucy yelped, so loud it startled a few birds from a nearby balcony.

Marin held up a hand again. "Hey, nothing personal! I'm just saying, if I were Prince Natsu, and I had to choose between you and Lady Brandish-"

"Marin," Brandish snapped, her sharp tone slicing through the air. "Can it. We're having a private conversation. Give Lucy her sundae and go pester someone else."

Marin immediately bowed. "Of course my lady, a thousand apologies!" He set Lucy's sundae in front of her with exaggerated care before turning back to Brandish with a lovesick smile. "By the way, have I told you how utterly radiant you look today? Because-"

"Goodbye, Marin."

"Leaving, leaving!" He chirped, quickly bowing and scuttling away.

Lucy watched him go, and shook her head in disbelief. "Does he ever stop?"

"Nope." Brandish replied flatly, digging into her sundae without missing a beat. "But he has his uses, so I keep him around."

"I don't think I could deal with him at all..." Lucy said as she looked down at her own sundae.

Brandish shrugged. "You get used to it. Or at least learn to tune him out. But anyway... that's enough about me and my problems." She gave Lucy a knowing look. "Now. Your turn. What made you fall for Natsu?"

"Ack!" Lucy did choke on her ice cream this time. So much for dodging the question. Guess I'm not getting out of this...

Then again, if Brandish could confront her feelings head on, she could try to as well.

"Well... I don't know exactly where the line between friend and something more blurred," Lucy said softly, setting her spoon down. "Natsu's been special to me since the first moment we met. Our entire introduction was him breaking me out of a charm spell. He was the one who brought me to Fairy Tail, so I wouldn't have any of the people I consider my family now without him."

She smiled faintly. "Until this past year, I hadn't even done a job without him. And when my dad paid Phantom Lord to 'retrieve' me for him, I jumped off their guildhall roof to escape... because I believed he would be there to catch me. And he did."

"Wow," Brandish deadpanned, taking a bite of her sundae. "Sounds like he was your prince charming from day one."

Lucy scoffed. "Absolutely not! For starters, he and Happy almost bankrupted me when I took them out to lunch for the first time. And then he would just break into my apartment whenever he wanted, eat my food, get in my bed, and even barge in on me in the bath! Also, he tricked me into wearing a maid outfit on our first mission! He was a menace!"

But then her voice l softened, eyes clouding with gentler memories. "But also... he brought the rainbow sakura tree to my doorstep when I was too sick to attend the town's hanami festival. Yeah, dragged the whole tree to my door just so I wouldn't miss it."

Lucy paused, her voice growing even more meek. "I think the first time I realized I felt something more than friendship was during a battle with a dark mage, he told me to leave, and I realized- I would have rather been there, by his side, even if I had to be in pain, than leave him..." She smiled to herself at the vivid, touching memory.

But then her expression faltered. That side of Natsu—the warmth, the wild joy—felt far away now. "You were talking earlier, about how he lights up a room when he comes in... but I haven't seen that from him today. He seems so down. Like, a shell of himself."

Brandish stirred her sundae absently, her gaze distant. "Well, what do you expect? He just had to fight a war against people he cares about."

Lucy nodded slowly. It made sense. Natsu had told her he couldn't just come back to the guild and pretend to be the same carefree dragon slayer they'd always known... and while Lucy wanted to believe that side of him was still there, she could now see what he meant. The weight he carried had changed him—and here, at least, people seemed to understand that.

As much as it hurt to admit, Lucy wasn't sure how the rest of Fairy Tail would've reacted if Natsu had come back and told them the full truth—especially the part about wanting to save Zeref. She still believed they could've found a way, could've talked, but to say the guild would've been divided on the matter was putting it mildly.

Here, though... he didn't have to hide it. He didn't have to wear a mask or pretend it didn't tear him up inside. Here, he could speak the truth about how it all made him feel—without fear, without judgment.

After a few long moments, Lucy voiced the uneasy question that had been silently festering her mind. "What do you think about the R-System? How do you feel about Zeref and Natsu using it?"

Brandish just shrugged. "Good for them."

Lucy blinked, caught off guard by how casual her answer was. "Really?"

Brandish leaned back, unfazed. "You gotta understand, Lucy, the stigma around His Majesty's spells over in Ishgar... it doesn't exist here. There's no Magic Council to fearmonger about what's 'black' or 'forbidden.' No archaic laws telling us which spells are too 'dangerous' to be touched."

She scooped another bite of her sundae into her mouth, but her tone remained serious. "So why shouldn't they use it? His Majesty created the spell, so he earned the right to use it first. But honestly, hopefully... when his mom wakes up, and everything's okay? I hope more people get to use it."

Lucy's eyes widened. "More people?"

Brandish nodded without hesitation. "I'd bring my mom back in a heartbeat."

Lucy tensed, gripping the fabric of her pants. "Even at the cost of someone else's life?"

Brandish set her spoon down with a soft clink. When she met Lucy's gaze, her eyes were steady, conviction absolute.

"The person they sacrificed to bring Emperor Spriggan's mother back wasn't a person. It was a monster in human skin."

Lucy's stomach twisted. "But-"

"But nothing, Lucy. You heard the charges Invel read against her." Brandish's voice didn't waver. "Tell me, honestly. Do you really think that prisoner deserved to keep breathing after what she'd done when someone innocent like the emperor's mother stayed dead?"

Here it was again—that same heavy question. Even with the brief reprieve since the last time it had surfaced, the weight of it hadn't lessened, pressing down on her now just as fiercely as before.

"Let me put it this way." Brandish said, staring into the sunset, her voice quiet but no less pointed. "If His Majesty turned around and offered to bring your mother back... using that prisoner's life... are you really so noble that you would have turned him down? Do you think that thing deserved to live while your mother stayed in the grave?"

Her words struck Lucy harder than anything else that had been said.

"You need to realize, Lucy, if you want to support him or stand by him... you'll have to follow him over those lines too."

Loke's words from earlier repeated in her mind.

She knew she was going to have to make a decision regarding it... but she hadn't expected it to be this soon.

And if she were being honest... she already felt the answer forming in her heart.

After a moment of silence, she breathed it out.

"No. I wouldn't have turned him down."


Ooooooooh, what's this? Is Lucy's mind is starting to change?

She's got some more interesting conversations coming up. Next chapter will (hopefully) be an emotional roller coaster. :)

So I'll see y'all next time for chapter 38, Undeserved Hatred.