Chapter Text
KEEPING SECRETS CHAPTER 45: ROLL UP A SMOKE AND MAKE A NEW PLAN
The grand council room of Alvarez's Imperial Palace was silent.
After the tower had failed to resurrect Thaddeus, Natsu, Zeref, and the others had returned to the palace together. No one had spoken since.
The day had begun with great hope. Now, defeat hung heavy in the air.
Natsu finally broke the silence, his voice lacking its usual heat. “Maybe it failed because you were too busy making the tower look all fancy.” He shot a sideways glance at Zeref.
His brother rolled his eyes. “Oh, please.”
Rustyrose cleared his throat. “With all due respect, Your Highness… I ensured the spell was reconstructed precisely as it was when we resurrected your mother. The only alterations were purely cosmetic.”
Mavis frowned, resting her chin in her hand as she leaned back in her chair. “If the spell was identical… then why wouldn't it be successful?" She glanced toward Ruth. “We know it works.”
Zeref let out a quiet, hollow breath. “It would fail if the target is still alive.”
His words settled over the room like fallout from a bomb.
Ruth's gaze snapped to his. “Alive? After all this time? That isn't possible-”
“No, it isn't.” Zeref agreed, a distant look in his eyes. “He took a dragon’s attack head on. I remember, when I went to…” His voice faltered. “…bury him. There wasn't much left.”
He stared at the center of the table, jaw tight, eyes glistening, breath shallow. From next to him, Mavis reached for one of his clenched fists, gently prying it open and lacing her fingers through his. On his other side, Ruth rested a trembling hand on his shoulder.
Lucy swallowed. “If the spell only fails when the person's alive… could that mean he was reincarnated?”
“Or perhaps… revived by some other means.” August said quietly.
Ruth's voice broke. “Then how do we even begin to find him?” She let out a weak, humorless, laugh. “It's not like we can just ask the gods where my husband's soul ended up.”
Natsu's, Zeref's, August's, and Invel's eyes met instantly.
A faint, almost disbelieving smile formed on Zeref's face. “Actually, Mom… you're not gonna believe this…”
“Invel,” Natsu said, “can you call Dimaria-”
“Already on it, Your Highness.” Invel said, communication lacrima raised to his ear.
After confirming Dimaria was on her way, Invel lowered it… only for the device to chime again. Looking at it again, his eyes widened slightly. “It seems we will have much to discuss today…” He murmured.
Natsu was the only one who heard him, but before he could ask Invel to elaborate further, the doors opened, and Dimaria strode in.
She surprisingly offered no cocky remark or smug quip this time- in fact, she seemed much more humble than usual. She kept her arms folded across her chest, shoulders hunched as though trying to make herself smaller. Lucy noticed, and bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.
Dimaria caught her amused look and shot Lucy a sharp, deadly glare.
Zeref didn't comment. “Dimaria, thank you for coming so quickly. We need-”
“-to speak with Chronos.” Dimaria finished. “He expected your call.”
Mavis, Ruth, Lucy, and Rustyrose didn't have time to question the others before the god of time overtook Dimaria's body, shadow covering her face and eyes burning a brilliant gold.
When Chronos spoke, Dimaria’s tone could still be heard, but it was layered, buried beneath something arcane and ancient.
“You seek a soul.” Chronos said calmly. “Thaddeus Dragneel.”
“Wait- Zeref,” Ruth’s eyes snapped to her oldest son. “You have a god working for you?!”
Zeref let out a nervous chuckle. “It's… a bit more complicated than that…”
“Still, I feel like that's something you… I don’t know, bring up, at some point.” Mavis said flatly, crossing her arms.
“I agree with the First Master,” Lucy said. “I feel like we’re missing a lot of important context here.” Rusty nodded in agreement.
“Dimaria is the chosen vessel of Chronos.” Invel explained. “He can possess her body for brief periods.”
“Indeed,” August said. “Chronos consulted us regarding your resurrection, Lady Ruth.” He turned to the god, posture straightening. “Are the gods displeased that we attempted another resurrection so soon?”
Chronos's lips curved in disdain. “There is only one who is displeased- Ankheseram.”
The name alone drew sharp stillness over the room.
“I believe,” Chronos continued evenly, “that he used what little power remained to him to restore Thaddeus Dragneel to life- not out of mercy, but out of spite.”
Ruth inhaled slowly before she asked, “Lord Chronos, what do you mean, ‘with what little power he had left?’”
Chronos paused, then his gaze shifted- to Mavis.
“I recall that we did not have time to discuss everything at our first meeting. And it seems you have some new faces here,” His eyes narrowed slightly. “Including Ankheseram's final victim.”
Mavis’s eyes widened. “Final victim?”
Chronos gave a slight nod before continuing. “The first thing that you all should know… is that Ankheseram no longer sits on the divine council.”
No one spoke, but shocked glances were exchanged.
“His fall from grace was gradual… but the final transgression was when he cursed you, Mavis Vermillion.”
Mavis stiffened.
“For three centuries,” Chronos said, “Ankherseram raged over the loss of his power, his authority. He refused to acknowledge that his own actions- cursing Zeref Dragneel- were the root of his downfall. Our Creator and the rest of the council were… quite displeased.”
Zeref’s fists clenched underneath the table.
“Worse,” Chronos went on, “Ankheseram began to relish in his task of collecting human souls- much more than what his duty required. Each soul he gathered granted him power. Defiance of death threatened that power- and thus, enraged him.”
The god’s gaze returned to Mavis. “When you used Law to save Yuri Dreyar- a spell far beyond what you should have known, taught to you by someone who should not have been alive- Ankheseram deemed it an abomination.” The god paused, sighed. “Never mind that he was the architect of Zeref Dragneel’s immortality.”
Chronos’s voice cooled. “And so, he cursed you. Not for balance. But out of spite.”
The silence that followed was absolute.
“In response, Ankheseram was tried and found guilty by the council of gross misuse of divine power. Our Creator stripped him of his title and banished him from Heaven.”
Natsu exhaled sharply. “So now, we're dealing with a bitter, disgraced god with nothing left to lose.”
Chronos inclined his head. “Precisely.”
Ruth hesitated, then asked quietly, “Are… the other gods truly not angry with us? For trying to bring Thaddeus back?”
Chronos studied her for a moment…then, unexpectedly, he smirked. “Your son uncovered a path to resurrection- one meant to be balanced by unbearable cost. That was the design.” His gaze shifted- briefly, deliberately- toward Mavis. “But because of Ankheseram's vendetta, an anomaly now exists- a means by which such miracles can be repeated. Nearly without limit.”
Wide-eyed stares abounded.
“Heaven will not interfere in your choices.” Chronos said. “But heed this warning- power mistreated invites ruin. Ankheseram’s story is evidence of that.”
His eyes burned brighter. “And do not grow complacent. Even fallen, Ankhersam is still a god. Be cautious on your path forward.”
And with that, the presence withdrew.
Dimaria staggered slightly as control returned to her. “I-” She exhaled sharply. “Wow. Seeing behind Heaven's curtain was not on my bingo card today.”
A few quiet snickers rippled through the room, uneasy relief after everything they’d just discovered.
Lucy's brow furrowed. “But… your dad might have been resurrected, but Chronos didn't tell us where he is.”
“I know where he is.” Natsu said, his voice sharp with certainty.
Zeref nodded, eyes narrowing. “So do I.”
At the others’ questioning looks, Zeref elaborated, “While we were in Devereaux this past summer, Natsu and I discovered the location of the last remaining temple of Ankheseram.” His jaw tightened. “Somewhere just outside the ruins of the old capital of Mildian.”
“In other words,” Invel said, adjusting his glasses, “modern day Fiore.” He glanced down at his communication lacrima. “Which means… Everything points us back to Ishgar.”
As the others regarded him with curious stares, he continued, “As it happens- I just received word King Toma has replied to our appeal. He is… receptive.” He paused. “However. He is inquiring about three missing citizens believed to be in Alvarez custody.”
Natsu let out a deep sigh.
“Mavis Vermillion. Lucy Heartfilia. And Natsu Dragneel.”
Lucy looked down at her hands. Mavis exhaled slowly. “Well, we knew this was coming.”
“I hate this,” Natsu muttered, “I want to go back- I want to see Happy, Gramps, and everyone else. But…” He swallowed. “I still don’t know what to tell them.”
Others in the room looked down, unsure of what to tell him.
All but Mavis.
“Maybe…” she said gently, “the solution is… you don’t tell them anything at all.”
The silence that followed was heavier than before.
“What?” Natsu finally said.
“First Master… what do you mean?” Lucy asked.
Mavis sighed. “This isn’t a perfect solution by any means. But… Natsu, I’ve been thinking about how Lucy, Loke, and I found out what you’d been doing over here the past year. How sudden it was. How it happened during or right after the invasion—when everyone believed you’d been a prisoner for over a year.” She shook her head faintly. “I’ve imagined a dozen ways we could explain everything to the guild, and truthfully…nothing ends well.”
“So… we don’t tell them. Not at first. We’ll go home, pretend that we’ve been Zeref’s prisoners. We try to go back to doing what we all did before… and in time, you'll show you're still the friend everyone remembers.” She exhaled. “And then, we try to figure out how to break the news about you, Zeref, and Alvarez.”
“With respect, Lady Mavis.” Invel said carefully, “I cannot imagine Fairy Tail not growing suspicious when you three refuse to speak of anything that occurred here while ‘imprisoned.’” He mimed with air quotes.
“Well, uh…” Mavis smiled nervously, looking away. “I was thinking… we could have Irene or Zeref- or just tell everyone- we had an enchantment placed on us. One that prevents us from speaking about anything that occurred in Alvarez until after the peace treaty is signed.”
Ruth raised an eyebrow. “Do you think your friends will actually believe that? It seems a bit far-fetched to me.”
“Actually Mom, I think they will.” Natsu said. “Stories about Zeref's magic are so ridiculous we could tell them he could get angry and black out the sun for three days or something, and they'd believe us.”
“Natsu, that's absurd. There's no way-”
“He's not exactly wrong, Mom.” Zeref cut in. “Stories about me… for better or worse, are quite exaggerated.”
Ruth looked at her oldest son, her expression a mixture of conflict and sympathy.
“It still doesn't sit right with me,” Lucy admitted. “I understand why you’re suggesting this, First Master- really, I do- but…”
Mavis sighed. “I don't like it either. But… we’ve seen what happens when the truth comes out all at once…”
She and Lucy both looked down.
“Besides…” Mavis added. “I do think we should tell Makarov what's really going on. If we can convince him this was really all for the best… having him on our side would be a huge win.”
“I'm telling Happy.” Natsu said immediately. “I… I hate how long we've already been apart . If there’s anyone who deserves to know the truth, it’s him.”
Mavis closed her eyes and nodded. “I expected as much. But we can't make exceptions for everyone- the fewer people who know initially, the better.”
Uncomfortable nods followed.
“I guess no one has any better ideas.” Natsu mumbled. “Alright. I don’t like it, but we'll do it.”
Invel nodded. “I will inform King Toma that we accept his terms, then. I predict it will take roughly a week to prepare our delegation to set off for Fiore.” He paused, then inclined his head toward Zeref. “And while preparations are underway… I would like to make a suggestion for the Imperial family. Your Majesty, might you consider taking your family to your property in the Tammany Islands for the remainder of the week? A brief respite, before negotiations begin.”
Heads immediately turned to Zeref, who looked lost. “I'm sorry- my what?”
Invel sighed. “One of your previous chief of staffs bequeathed to you their vacation home in the southern region of the empire. I was suggesting you and your family make use of it before departing for Ishgar.”
Zeref's face turned slightly red. “Oh… right.”
Mavis shook her head, smiling. “Who just forgets they own a beach house?” Light laughter rippled across the room.
“I think I'll stay behind.”
The others turned to Natsu in shock.
He sighed. “Look, it sounds fun… but it doesn’t feel right, going right now. Not with Dad out there somewhere, and not with everyone back home still worrying about us.”
Invel's gaze softened ever so slightly. “I do understand where you are coming from, Your Highness.” He adjusted his glasses. “However, there is little you can meaningfully assist with here while preparations are underway. And once you return to Ishgar- given Lady Mavis's proposed arrangement- you will be under considerable scrutiny. Emotional strain, as well as political.”
He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “This is not an escape. It is… a pause. A final opportunity to relax, and enjoy time with your family before shouldering a heavy burden.”
Natsu didn’t respond right away.
He thought of Magnolia, of the guildhall- of Happy’s cheerful ‘aye sir!’s, Gramps’ stern but insightful lessons, the bickering with Gray, scoldings from Erza, the laughter with comrades… and realized how different it would all be, keeping such a huge part of his life from them. How difficult it would be, not to freely speak of the good times he’d had with his brother, his mother, and his new friends in the empire.
And how he, Lucy, and Mavis would have to work to keep their stories straight until the treaty was signed. There would be no breathing room- no room for error.
Invel continued. “And now that you all know about His Majesty's vacation home, I don't think he'll be forgetting it again anytime soon. You would be free to return at any time, hopefully with your father or your friends in Fairy Tail, once matters are inevitably resolved.”
Natsu exhaled slowly. “If we gotta go back like this… then I guess we shouldn’t do it already strung out and exhausted.
He looked up, offering a small, crooked smile. “Alright. You win, Invel. I'm in.”
The others smiled too.
“Oh!” Ruth suddenly exclaimed. “Zeref, you should bring Larcade too!”
“Yeah, I'm sure it would mean a lot to him!” Mavis agreed brightly.
Zeref looked conflicted. “I don't know…”
Natsu caught the way August's expression dimmed, just for a heartbeat.
“Uh-actually,” Natsu said quickly, scratching the back of his neck, “I think August should come with us! You know, for extra security. Not all of us are immortal, after all!” He laughed, a little too fast.
Zeref considered it, then nodded. “That’s not a bad idea. Plus,” He looked at August with a knowing smile, “August, in all the years you’ve served me, I don’t believe you’ve ever taken a vacation. I’d say this trip is long overdue, for you. ”
August straightened, clearly flustered. “I, um… well-”
“Hey!” Dimaria called out from a chair she’d apparently claimed without anyone noticing. “I want to go too! And Ajeel should come, and-”
“No.” Invel said sternly. “I'm drawing the line at Larcade and August. I cannot afford to have all of the 12 on vacation as we prepare for this diplomatic mission to Ishgar. It will take a miracle to get Irene to assist me as is, I'm sure.”
Dimaria pouted. “Fine.”
“Might I suggest,” August said smoothly, sliding a piece of folded paper to Invel, “that you acquire Irene something from here. If you do, you may find her more… agreeable.”
Zeref frowned. “Didn't you already give me the location of that bakery you got those cakes to bribe Irene with? I had to give it up to her for a favor…”
August smiled knowingly. “Your Majesty, did you truly believe I limited myself to one?”
The others laughed, while Natsu felt August’s voice brush his mind. “Thank you, Uncle.”
Natsu smiled back without looking. “Wasn't about to leave you behind.”
August’s expression turned serious once more as he turned to Zeref and Mavis. “With these arrangements settled… I believe it's time I showed you both what I've been working on.”
One of August’s re-quip portals shimmered open, and he placed a small object on the table. Natsu and Lucy's eyes widened.
It was unmistakably familiar. In fact, it was almost - albeit much smaller- a dead ringer for the weapon Tartaros had attempted to use on them last year.
“August,” Lucy said slowly, “is that-“
“A curse siphoning device.” August confirmed. “Adopted and modified from the schematics for the Face weapon we recovered from the Council. Reverse engineering the technology was… challenging. Fortunately, there was an intern in the engineering department- Bestia, I believe her name was- who was researching residual magic decay. Her findings were most insightful, and went a long way in allowing us to modify the magic siphoning device into a curse siphoning one.”
He tapped the pocket sized, face shaped object. “With this… the curse of contradiction will be neutralized before the miasma can even become airborne.”
Zeref and Mavis exchanged a look- fragile, but hopeful.
“Of course,” August added, “I'll require both of you to test it in our R and D labs before we depart. We should not leave anything to chance.”
Zeref stood at once, a rare, bright smile crossing his face. “Let's not waste any time, then.”
They all packed quickly, everyone seemingly more than ready to get their vacation started. Jackal tried insisting his boss needed him along, only to be immediately vetoed by Rustyrose, who diligently pointed out they weren't even halfway done with his lessons yet. It ended with Rusty having to drag a hysterical etherious off Natsu, along with a stern threat to cut his nails again to finally quiet him down.
With his own packing finished in record time, Natsu joined the rest of his family in the corridor outside his room.
As Zeref approached, his mother smiled warmly. “So, did August's invention work?”
Zeref returned her smile. Before he could answer, Mavis rounded the corner, spotted him, and broke into a run. She launched herself into Zeref's arms without hesitation.
Holding her, he turned back to his mother. “Does that answer your question, Mom?”
She smiled at them. “Ah… young love.” However, her smile quickly slipped into a frown. “Wait… I don’t think that’s accurate here.”
Lucy chuckled as she joined them, slipping her hand into Natsu's.
“Regardless,” August said as he approached- Larcade trailing just behind him- “it is very nice to see His Majesty and Lady Mavis able to be with each other now.” Larcade nodded in agreement.
“Everyone, gather round.” Zeref said. Once ensuring they were all connected, Zeref cast the teleportation spell.
Space folded in on itself, and the corridors of the palace vanished- replaced by warm sunlight, salty air, and the sound of waves. Before them stood a spacious, multi-leveled beach-house tucked into a thicket on a small, private island.
“You have your own island?” Ruth asked, awed.
“Evidently. Today is my first time coming here.” Zeref replied.
“Why not? Lucy gasped, stars practically in her eyes. “They'd have to pry me out of a place like this!”
Zeref’s expression dimmed. “Places are only as good as the people you share them with. And in my case…”
Lucy's smile disappeared. “Oh… right. I'm sorry…”
Mavis squeezed his hand, smiling up at him. “But now you get to enjoy it with a lot of people who love you.”
Zeref smiled softly. “Right.”
“Well, what are we standing around for?!” Natsu shouted suddenly, bolting for the house and dragging Lucy along with him. “I wanna play on the beach!”
The others laughed as they followed him inside.
Natsu, predictably, was the first one back out. He stood on the deck, scanning the shoreline with intense focus.
“See something, uncle?” Larcade asked, stepping outside.
“Yeah,” Natsu said. “Just scouting the perfect spot.”
Larcade raised an eyebrow. “To sit?”
“Sit?” Natsu laughed. “Why would we sit?” Natsu laughed, shaking his head. “No, no. Trust your old uncle Natsu here-, there's something you have to do first thing when you go to the beach!”
Several minutes later, Lucy and Mavis stepped out onto the deck.
“Ohhhh Natsu!!!” Lucy called, already imagining quiet walks by the shoreline, collecting seashells, nice normal couple activities-
“Luce?!” Natsu's head popped up from a massive hole in the sand that had absolutely not been there before.
Lucy stared. “…What are you doing!?”
Natsu beamed up at her. “Everyone knows the first thing you do at the beach is dig a giant hole!”
“Can you please get off my shoulders now, Uncle?” Larcade's muffled voice echoed from below.
Lucy was speechless. Mavis giggled.
“Everything alright?” August asked, stepping onto the deck.
“Yeah,” Lucy said weakly. “My fiancé is just… being himself.”
“August!” Natsu yelled from the hole. “Come help us dig!”
Lucy glanced at August, who, disturbingly, looked conflicted. “Well… he is technically my superior,” he said after a moment. “I suppose it cannot be helped.” He promptly made his way down to the beach and vanished into the hole, apparently stepping on Larcade on the way down.
“He might as well be a Dragneel.” Mavis said fondly.
Lucy groaned. “You're lucky Zeref is mature, First Master.”
“I'm what now?” The man in question asked as he stepped outside.
As Mavis and Lucy turned to look at him, they burst into laughter.
Zeref frowned. “What?”
“Zeref… don't you want an actual swimsuit?” Mavis asked gently.
In lieu of a normal bathing suit, Zeref had tied his sash in several layers around his lower body.
“What's wrong with this?”
Lucy snorted. “So much.”
Zeref held a hand to his ear. “Sorry, Lucy, what was that? You don’t want to come with us to the beach house next time?”
Lucy paled instantly. “I was kidding!”
“Zeref, don't be mean.” Mavis scolded.
“I was kidding.” Zeref insisted, sighing. “Anyways , where's Natsu? I thought I heard him down here.”
Lucy pointed toward the hole. “Your brother, your second in command, and your ‘son’ are digging a giant hole.”
“Ah…” Zeref nodded. “Well… I better go check on them.” He vanished, teleporting himself to the hole.
It became evident after a few minutes he was not coming out.
Mavis stared at the hole blankly. “You were saying, Lucy?”
Lucy laughed nervously. “I take it back…”
“Well, don't you two look lovely.” Ruth said as she joined them. She looked around. “Where's everyone else?”
“Everyone else is digging a giant hole.” Mavis said flatly.
Ruth looked confused for a moment before laughing. “If my husband were here, he'd be right down there with them. Boys will be boys, I guess.” She laughed again. “Come on, let's go cheer them on.” She said as she started down to the beach, the two younger (?) women following her.
After the giant hole (it was more like a cavern when they had finished) was complete, the boys re-emerged and the real beach chaos began.
Natsu dragged Lucy into the water, and promptly gave her another German suplex, just as he had at the waterpark last year- earning him a shriek of outrage.
Likewise, Mavis dragged Zeref into the water. Or tried to.
“Mavis, this is a terrible idea, I'm wearing all white.” He said flatly.
Mavis sunk into the water, glowering at him. “You're no fun.”
Zeref sighed as he turned to walk away- only to be shoved straight into an oncoming wave. When he surfaced, sputtering, he stared in disbelief. “Mom?!”
His mother laughed. “Oh don't be so stiff. Just stay below the water and you'll be fine.” She said as she jumped in herself.
Zeref sighed dramatically, until Mavis wrapped her arms around him, his irritation melting into a smile.
Mavis eventually got out of the water to retrieve something from inside the house Invel had procured for them- a surf board.
“Can you surf, First Master?” Lucy asked, stretched out on the sand, finally dried off enough to have Natsu apply some sunscreen to her back.
Mavis looked back with a bright smile. “Never tried! But I figure since we're here, why not!?” She began to paddle out to catch a wave.
Larcade watched, smiling. “You know… I think, I am gonna take a page out of my mother's book and try something new too.” He said with surprising determination.
He didn't notice August behind him, reading a book, scowl in his direction when he referred to Mavis as his mother.
Larcade grabbed a skimboard- and turned out to be a natural. The others applauded.
“Well done, Larcade!” Ruth said brightly.
Larcade beamed at her. “Thanks, grandmother!”
Ruth giggled.
Larcade turned for another run, but froze as a massive shadow fell over him. He looked up- a towering wave surged toward the shore, with Mavis wobbling triumphantly on top of it, letting out a cheer of glee.
Larcade didn't even have time to cry out before the wave crashed over him.
Mavis came to a graceful finish back on the shore, and cheers erupted- until the water receded, revealing a soaked, shell shocked Larcade staring up at the sky.
“Why did that feel personal?” He muttered dazedly.
Nearby, August sank under the water, smirking, pleased with his handiwork.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, everyone drifted inside the house. Invel had ensured the kitchen had been thoroughly stocked for them, and Ruth wasted no time preparing a proper meal for everyone- clearly delighted she didn't have to glance over her shoulder here to make sure Invel wasn't coming to tell her that ‘the emperor's mother needn’t concern herself with such menial tasks.’
After they’d thoroughly eaten their fill, Natsu glanced at Lucy.
“Hey Luce… wanna go watch the sunset with me?”
Lucy blinked, color blooming in her cheeks. “O-oh. Yeah. Sure.”
The others immediately snickered, whispering far too loudly ‘puppy love.’ Lucy groaned, mortified, but Natsu just took her hand and led her back outside.
They walked along the shoreline together, the sky painted in gold and violet. Lucy stopped to gather some shells as they walked, and Natsu tried to help.
“Oh hey, Lucy look at this one! It's huge!”
Lucy turned and to her shock, Natsu had somehow grabbed a live horseshoe crab. “Natsu, that one's alive!”
“Oh.” He looked down at the creature wriggling in his hands. “You still want it?”
“No!”
“Sheesh, okay.” He gently returned it to the surf and held up his hands in surrender.
A few seconds later, Lucy began to laugh. Natsu furrowed his brow. “What?”
“It's just-” she caught her breath, smiling at him. “You're just… really something, Natsu. After everything you've been through here- everything you’ve learned, everything that's changed… you’re still you. Completely, unmistakably you. I love it.”
Natsu gave a soft smile in return. “Well, I'd hope so. Invel did say I didn't have to reinvent myself, just consider everything I was learning as more tools to use- like I'd learn a new attack or a way to use my magic. I've tried to live by that.”
“That was good advice.” Lucy said.
They’d circled back to the stretch of beach in front of the house. She lowered herself to the sand, hugging her knees. Natsu joined her.
Her smile faded slightly. “I really hate what I said to you. Back on the airship, when I first found out about what you'd been doing over here.”
“Luce, you don't need-”
“Yes, I do.” Lucy said, looking at him intently. “I meant it then, and I mean it now. Saying you weren’t the same person I knew… that wasn’t fair. Especially knowing what I do now.”
She traced patterns in the sand. “You didn’t lose yourself, Natsu. If anything… knowing everything, I think it’s kind of amazing that you didn’t.”
Natsu's gaze fell. “Maybe. But… I still can't help but wonder if I messed up. If I should’ve told everyone back home sooner. If I made things harder than they needed to be.”
“Maybe you did.” She shrugged gently. “Or maybe you didn’t. But you did what you thought was right at the time… that counts for something.”
She smiled at him. “I just hope… when we go back, people can see what I see. That you’re still Natsu. You’ve grown, sure. You’ve changed.
But… we all do.” She laughed quietly. “I don’t think the girl you met in Hargeon would make all the same choices I would now.”
She glanced at him sideways. “But… It still feels like I'm talking to Natsu Dragneel. Even if he is a prince now, who's led armies, headed covert operations, and learned etiquette." She giggled at the last one.
Natsu snorted. “Don’t remind me.”
She laughed, which made him smile, though it faded as quickly as it had appeared. “I don't… I don’t even feel like it's all that amazing. All of it… was just what I needed to do to move forward. Same as I did back in the guild.” He sighed. “Guess the only difference is… this time, it felt like there was a lot more red tape to get through.”
Lucy hummed. “I get it. And I know what's coming won't be easy. But…” she laced her fingers between his. “At least we’ll face it together now.”
He squeezed her hand. “Yeah. You're right.”
They sat quietly for a while, listening to the waves.
“Hey um… Lucy…” Natsu said eventually, scratching his cheek.
“Hm?”
“I know we're… you know. Engaged.” He shifted, clearly nervous. “I just- I know you wanna do all that lovey-dovey stuff… but… I don't know, it's not that I don’t want it… it's just…” He sighed. “I don't know what I'm doing. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that I want you to know how happy I am, knowing we'll always be together… even if I'm not good at all that other stuff. Just something I thought about, after our kiss.”
She turned toward him, smiling warmly. “I know, Natsu.”
The sunset caught in her eyes as she leaned closer. “Maybe I got a little carried away with my expectations,” she continued, “but I think you hit the nail on the head. The important thing is we're together. Knowing you feel the same… well… it means more than you know. I'm very happy.”
“As for the other stuff… let's just… take our time. No pressure, no expectations.” She giggled before giving him a knowing smile. “But I still want a real proposal. Don't think you're getting out of that, mister.” She playfully wagged a finger at him.
He chuckled. “Yeah, yeah, I figured. Thanks though, Luce. You’re the best. I'm happy you're here with me.”
Lucy blushed for a moment, before returning his smile. “Yeah, well… I'm happy to be here with you.” She scooted closer, then hesitated before leaning back against his chest. “Is this okay?”
“…Yeah,” he said, a little flustered. “This is really nice.”
He wrapped his arms around her as the sun finally slipped beneath the water.
From the window of his bedroom overlooking the ocean, Zeref paused, his gaze lingered on the shoreline below.
Natsu and Lucy sat together in the sand, awkwardly close—Lucy leaning back against Natsu’s chest, his arms wrapped around her. A small smile tugged at Zeref’s lips.
“You know, most people would consider peeping on your brother and future sister in law’s intimate moment a bit strange, love.” A playful voice chided from behind him.
He frowned and turned. “I was not peeping.” He huffed. “I was enjoying the sunset. They simply happened to stop in front of the house.”
Mavis, already changed into her pajamas, raised an eyebrow as she crossed the room. “Uh-huh.”
“I was just thinking,” he added quietly, “how happy I am for them.”
Mavis giggled. “I'm just giving you a hard time. I'm happy for them too.” She climbed onto the bed… and without hesitation, straight onto Zeref's lap. “You know…” she said lightly, arms sliding around his neck, “we could have our own intimate moment, if you want.”
Zeref’s smile widened. “I would like that very much.”
Mavis giggled, and they leaned in-
“Ahem.”
Mavis practically launched herself off him, landing on the opposite side of the bed. Zeref stiffened, every instinct he possessed screaming ‘danger.’
His mother stood in the doorway, arms folded, wearing a smile that was far too knowing to be innocent. “I know this is your first time staying here, Zeref dear,” she said sweetly, “but if you hadn’t noticed yet—these walls are quite thin.”
Zeref’s face went crimson. Mavis’s matched his instantly.
“Do with that information what you will.” Ruth smiled sweetly. “Good night, love you!” She waved once and disappeared down the hall.
Both Mavis and Zeref stared at the doorway in silence for a long moment, until Mavis finally whispered, “Your mom still scares me.”
“Hm.” Zeref rubbed the back of his neck. A slow, calculating smile spread across his face. “Since you’ll all be out shopping tomorrow… I think I’ll hire a contractor.”
Mavis blinked. “What for?”
“To soundproof the walls.”
Mavis’s eyes lit up. “That would be amazing.”
She scooted back over, curling against him. Zeref wrapped an arm around her, resting his chin lightly atop her head as the waves rolled steadily outside.
In his room down the hall, August let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
The next morning, Mavis, Ruth, and Lucy met August in front of the house just as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the trees. The island Zeref's home sat on was part of a larger chain- while his was private, several neighboring islands were popular vacation spots, and the main island boasted a sprawling shopping district. That discovery alone had been enough to spark immediate excitement among the girls.
They’d quickly agreed on a girls’ day out while the boys slept in, dug holes, or whatever else it was they did when left unsupervised.
August kindly volunteered to teleport them to the main island, assuring them he’d linger nearby—far enough to give them privacy, but close enough to intervene should any unlikely trouble arise.
“Wow, there's so much!” Mavis exclaimed as she took in the rows of storefronts stretching ahead of them. “I don’t even know where to begin!”
“Shoes sound like a good starting point, First Master,” Lucy teased.
Mavis stuck her tongue out at her.
“Well,” Ruth said thoughtfully, smiling, “we have all day. Why don’t we just go from store to store, and if it looks interesting, we pop in?”
“That sounds good!” Mavis said brightly.
The first stop was a high end boutique. Ruth offered to wait outside while Mavis and Lucy browsed, though they didn’t linger long before moving on.
The next store front was a salon. “We could get our hair done!” Lucy said enthusiastically.
“That could be fun!” Mavis agreed. “I’m not sure what I'd want, though. What about you, Ruth?”
Ruth smiled, but there was something uneasy about it. “Well, you two should go ahead if you’d like. I'm content with my hair the way it is.”
Mavis and Lucy exchanged a glance. “Ruth… is everything alright?” Mavis asked.
“If you're not really feeling like shopping today,” Lucy added quickly, “we could always-”
“No, no, nothing like that.” Ruth said, shaking her head. “I don't want to ruin anyone else's fun. It's just…” She sighed. “Some of these places… how do I put it? The more… showy ones- they bring up some unpleasant memories, for me. Personally.”
Mavis and Lucy shared another look before looking back at her. “Well,” Mavis said, smiling warmly, “like you said- we’ve got all day. If you want to talk about it, we’re happy to listen.” Lucy nodded in confirmation.
Ruth hesitated, then nodded. “Alright… if you don’t mind me rambling about the past.”
They made their way to a bench near the fountain in the center of the shopping district, the gentle sound of water filling the brief silence.
“I know I'm probably overthinking things,” Ruth began, “but high-end fashion, vanity- things like that- are tied to unpleasant memories of my childhood.” Her gaze shifted to Lucy. “Honestly, Lucy, it's almost funny how similar our stories are.”
She let out a deep sigh. “Like you, I was born into wealth. Unlike you, however… It sounds like until your mother died, you had a very loving relationship with your parents. I… did not. They weren't cruel, really. Just… distant. I don't ever recall one of them ever hugging me, or showing me any type of real affection. I was just… a tool to them. A pretty little girl to dress up and display… and eventually trade away to improve their standing.”
Her voice remained steady, but there was an old ache beneath it. “I felt empty, but I told myself it could be worse. That this was simply my lot in life, and I’d make the best of it.”
She paused before continuing. “Eventually, I was promised to a prince. I was set to become a princess… but,” she chuckled softly, “fate had other plans. On the way to meet my fiancé, our carriage broke down in a small farming village. And while we were stranded there, a local- a salmon haired young man with the brightest smile I'd ever seen- offered to help us.”
A faint blush colored her cheeks as she smiled. “I know it sounds corny, but it really was love at first sight. My father was grateful for the young man's help, and offered him work at our estate. I met my fiancé soon after - he was fine, I suppose, as far as out of touch nobles went- but by then, my heart belonged entirely to Thaddeus.”
Her smile turned fond. “For the first time in my life, there was something I wanted for myself, everything else be damned. We started meeting secretly in my family's garden.”
Mavis chuckled. “Yeah… I remember hearing that a few days ago…”
Lucy chuckled too, recalling Zeref’s unfortunate implication in the hallway—and Ruth’s complete lack of denial.
“Hmph.” Ruth muttered, crossing her arms. “He sure chose the worst possible thing to not be oblivious about.” She grumbled. Then she sighed, her expression softening again. “Eventually… just weeks before I was to be wed, we made our escape to Thaddeus' home village.”
Her eyes gleamed with amusement. “We knew we’d be followed. What Prince Claudio and his companions didn’t expect was an entire village prepared with traps, ambushes, and surprises. They came ready for ‘honorable’ battlefield combat—not farmers using guerrilla tactics.”
She laughed. “They fled in utter embarrassment. The official story, of course, was that I’d been kidnapped by pirates from Iceberg. My father was told the truth—and promptly disowned me.”
She looked down at her hands. “At that point, I didn’t care any longer. Thaddeus and I finally had our life together. And besides.” Her hand rested gently on her stomach. “We didn't know it yet, but I was already pregnant with Zeref. I’m grateful he was born somewhere safe. Somewhere he was loved.”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “The lifestyle change was… jarring. No endless hours spent perfecting appearances. No obsession over dresses or hairstyles. You wore what was practical. You worked. You lived.” She smiled faintly. “At first, it shocked me, but I came to love it. It felt real. Honest.”
She glanced back at them. “I say all that to say now… even something as simple as spending extra time on my hair, or shopping for fine clothes- it feels like betraying the person I fought so hard to become. I don’t judge anyone else for enjoying those things. It’s just… personal.”
Silence settled between them for a moment.
Lucy thought back on the past few weeks, the times Ruth had politely declined shopping trips. The simplicity of her wardrobe. The ever-present messy bun.
“I get it,” Lucy said softly. “After my mom died, with how my dad ended up… I felt like a doll. Something to be bartered away, no real will of my own. And when I finally got away from that, changing how I dressed was one of the first ways I reclaimed myself.” She smiled at Ruth. “So if those things still make you uncomfortable, that’s okay. Honestly… I admire it- your conviction.”
Mavis nodded. “I grew up very differently from either of you. By the time I had control over my life, I was leading mages and fighting wars- fashion was the last thing on my mind.” She laughed lightly. “But today… at least for me… this isn’t about changing who I am. It’s just about having fun. With people who are going to be family.”
Lucy nodded in agreement.
Ruth’s eyes shone as she pulled them both into a tight hug. “I'm so happy both my boys found such kind people to fall in love with.” She hesitated, then smiled. “Would you mind if we kept browsing a little longer? Maybe… after some time, I’ll feel more open to places like the salon or boutiques.”
“Of course,” Lucy said warmly.
Mavis’s gaze suddenly locked onto a particular storefront. “Oh! I already know where we should go next.” She pointed toward a novelty beach shop. “That looks fun!”
A mischievous grin spread across Lucy’s face. “Maybe I’ll find a giant squirt gun-to pay Natsu back for that German suplex yesterday.”
Ruth laughed. “Just make sure Invel doesn't find out that's what you're spending your allowance on.”
Lucy stiffened, pushing imaginary glasses up her nose. “‘The Imperial family need not waste time on such trivial trinkets,’” she recited in her best imitation of the winter general.
The three of them burst into laughter.
“I know what I'm looking for,” Mavis declared firmly. “A proper swimsuit for Zeref.”
Lucy snorted. “Didn't he say he was perfectly content with his… whatever you wanna call what he was wearing?”
“He might be,” Mavis said, frowning. “But I am not. I want to see him wear something he actually looks good in.”
Laughing, the three women stepped into the novelty shop together.
“Hey. Wake up.”
That was the last thing Natsu heard before a pillow smacked him square in the face.
Disoriented, he rubbed his eyes until they focused on the pillow-holding culprit.
“-What the hell, Zeref?” he groaned, rubbing his eyes until they focused on his brother, pillow still in hand.
“The girls have gone shopping.”
“So?” Natsu flopped back down. “I was planning to sleep in.”
“Well, feel free to,” Zeref said mildly. “I was going to see if you wanted to help each other with ring shopping. But feel free to go by yourself.”
Natsu sat up. “You wanna go together?”
Zeref shrugged. “Why not? We both owe our respective significant others proper engagements, after all.”
“Won't they see us if they're in the shopping district, though?”
Zeref smirked. “Natsu, did you forget we can teleport? We can go anywhere in the empire- hell, we could even go to Guilitina or Ishgar if you really wanted.”
“Oh, right.” Natsu said, jumping to his feet. “Alright, give me just a sec.”
Zeref waved a hand. “Take your time.”
Natsu rummaged through his bag, pulling out clothes. “Hey, Zeref,” he said casually, “I was thinking-maybe we can’t revive Dad like we planned, but maybe I could surprise Lucy by reviving her mom and dad? Wouldn’t it be awesome? All our families together when we get married?”
“Uh… Natsu, about that.”
Zeref’s tone alone made him freeze.
Natsu paused, shirt pulled halfway over his head, and turned to his brother. Zeref’s expression was gentle, but heavy. “I guess we've not really had time to discuss it… but… the tower isn't all powerful, Natsu.”
Natsu frowned. “What do you mean?”
“The tower… When it revives someone, it restores them as they were, physically, the moment before their death. Which means… someone who died naturally- From illness, or age…”
Natsu's face fell. “Oh…”
Zeref nodded. “And Layla had more than magical deficiency disease. She’d been diagnosed with cancer several months before opening the Eclipse Gate.”
“I… I see.” Natsu swallowed. “And… I don’t think we know for sure what killed her dad.”
Zeref's gaze drifted. “I wouldn’t want to bring someone back if there was a chance they'd die immediately afterward. And…” He hesitated. “Resurrection still requires human sacrifice. Maybe someday we can find a way around that … but that kind of research could take years.”
“Right…” Natsu deflated a bit. “That makes sense.”
Zeref paused a moment before asking, “Has Lucy… talked about reviving her parents? Since we got Mom back?”
“A little.” Natsu said. “But, like the rest of us, she was waiting to make sure Mom would be alright first.” He sighed. “I hate that I have to tell her.”
Zeref was quiet for a moment, before his eyes brightened slightly. “Maybe… her parents can still be there. In a way.”
Natsu blinked. “Wha- how?”
“Finish getting dressed,” Zeref interrupted, smiling faintly. “I’ll explain at our first stop. I—uh—I need to use the bathroom first.”
And with that, he hurried off.
Natsu stared after him for a second, then shook his head. “He’s so awkward…”
Once dressed, he wandered into the main room and flopped onto the couch, waiting—and wondering what Zeref had in mind.
The sound of a door opening interrupted his thoughts.
“Finally, you rea-”
He stopped cold.
The scent in the room was most certainly not Zeref's.
But it was familiar… and should absolutely not have been here.
“Natsu? Is that really you?”
Uh oh.
Lucy stepped out of the novelty shop wearing a very satisfied smirk. She hadn’t realized there were this many varieties of oversized water guns. Already deep in planning her revenge, she wasn’t watching where she was going-
-and bumped straight into someone.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sor-”
“Lucy?” The stranger lowered her sunglasses.
Lucy froze. “A-Angel?!”
The other woman frowned. “It’s Sorano. Anyway, what the hell are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be a prisoner…?”
Lucy felt all the color drain from her face. How do I even begin to explain this?! “Uh… it's a really long story…”
Sorano studied her for a moment, then shrugged. “Whatever. This makes our job easier. Mavis here with you?”
“Uh- yeah, but… what job?”
Sorano snorted. “We're here to rescue you. Duh. We broke into the palace yesterday- which was not easy by the way, their security makes the Magic Council look like a daycare- and found out Zeref had brought you here.” She squinted. “What's he making you do? Run errands? I guess that's better than being locked up somewhere, but…”
Lucy discreetly hid the bag of the squirt guns behind her back. “Well… uh, you see…”
“Lucy? Who's your friend?”
Lucy and Sorano turned to see Mavis and Ruth approaching them, both looking confused.
“I-uh-she's-”
“Here to rescue you.” Sorano said flatly. “You must be Mavis, but… who're you?” She pointed at Ruth.
Ruth opened her mouth-
“You remember Natsu? This is his mom!” Lucy blurted.
Sorano tilted her head. “Huh. Don't see it. Whatever, bring her along too. We need to go before someone notices us.”
As Sorano turned away, the three women exchanged utterly lost looks.
Lucy suddenly remembered there was someone else here with them. August… she thought, reaching out the way he’d shown them earlier.
His voice answered instantly. “I'm aware of what's going on. It seems all of this ‘Crime Sorcerie’ guild is here to ‘rescue’ you. I haven’t moved against them yet, seeing they are your friends… but… if they are here for you…. that means….
Lucy’s blood ran cold. They're probably at the beach house, looking for Natsu too!
“J-J-Jellal?!” Natsu exclaimed.
“Shhhhhhhh.” Jellal quickly shushed him. “Don't panic. I don't think anyone's realized I'm here yet.” He looked Natsu up and down, clearly noticing his tropical shirt, swimsuit, and sunglasses. “…is that really how Alvarez dresses their prisoners?” He said, quite baffled.
“Uhhhh… it's… a really long story-”
“Natsu?” Zeref’s voice cut in as he emerged from one of the side hallways. “Who are you talking to?”
The moment he entered the main room, his eyes met Jellal's. Both men stiffened.
“Who the hell are you?” Jellal asked cautiously.
Shit.
“Natsu…” Zeref's voice echoed in his head.
Natsu swallowed. “Let's just… roll with it for now. Til we come up with a plan.”
“That already sounds like a terrible idea.”
“Well where's your brilliant plan, Your Majesty?!”
“Uhhhh…” Jellal said, still tense but now visibly confused.
Natsu's attention snapped back to him. “ Funny story, Jellal- this gloomy guy is actually my brother!”
Jellal raised his eyebrows. “Your brother? I didn't know you had a brother.”
“Yeah! We reconnected this past year…”
“While both prisoners of Zeref.” Jellal finished, nodding sagely.
Zeref resisted the urge to facepalm. Natsu's smile faltered.
Jellal smirked. “Well, don't worry. We're getting you both outta here.”
Zeref raised an eyebrow. “We?”
“My guild is here- Crime Sorciere. Sorano should be retrieving Lucy and Mavis as we speak.” He glanced toward Zeref. “Don't worry, we have room for one more.”
“Fantastic.” Zeref muttered, far too quietly for Jellal to hear.
“I have a lot of questions,” Jellal continued, “but I'll save them for when we're out of the danger zone. Though… I have to ask…” He gestured at Zeref’s sash-wrapped attire. “What are you wearing?”
Zeref opened his mouth-
“He didn't have a bathing suit,” Natsu cut in. “So he wrapped himself in a bedsheet. Uh, Zeref dragged us here, made us watch him relax on the beach while he locked us inside!”
“Natsu, that is the most asinine thing I've ever heard. There's no way-”
“That sounds ridiculous,” Jellal said, nodding, “but it honestly shouldn't surprise me that a mind as twisted as Zeref’s would be that petty.” He kicked the door open. “Come on, let's get out of here.”
Natsu smirked at Zeref, who just stared at Jellal in absolute disbelief.
Outside, Jellal gestured toward a sleek speedboat. “We'll meet up with the others on the main island, where Sorano's retrieving Lucy and Mavis.”
Seeing the boat, Natsu paled. “I've changed my mind, Zeref. I'm telling him the truth.” “Um, Jellal, actually-”
“Oh no you don't. You wanted to play along, we're playing along.” Zeref pushed him onto the boat, and Natsu immediately collapsed, clutching his stomach.
Zeref smiled pleasantly at Jellal. “Lead the way.”
Jellal nodded, and ignited the boat's engine, speeding away from the island.
Lucy, Mavis, and Ruth approached the docks with Sorano, where a hooded figure waited beside a boat. Upon their approach, the figure lowered their hood, revealing a head of long, pink hair. “Lucy! You're safe!”
Lucy laughed nervously. “Hi, Meredy…”
“You must be Mavis! And-” Meredy paused, looking at Ruth. “Wait, who are you?”
“Apparently, the pyromaniac's mother.” Sorano said flatly.
Meredy beamed. “Nice to meet you! Don't worry, our guild won't let Alvarez get their hands on you again.”
Four more figures emerged from the boat's cabin- Richard, Macbeth, Sawyer, and-
Lucy went pale.
Erik.
Oh no. He can hear our thoughts!
The dragon slayer in question frowned. “Wait, why are you nervous that I can hear your thoughts?”
Before anyone could scramble for an explanation, the roar of an approaching engine split the air. A speedboat slammed against the dock, and Jellal leapt out.
“Jellal! Did you get Natsu?” Meredy called.
Jellal flashed her a thumbs up. “Mission accomplished.”
“No, it's not! I'm dying!!!” A miserable dragon slayer groaned.
“You're fine.” A second, unamused voice said.
Natsu collapsed onto the dock. “Ah…Stability.”
“And you call me dramatic.” Zeref muttered as he stepped out behind him.
Upon seeing him, Sorano snorted. “Nice duds, dude.”
Zeref shot her an unamused look.
However, from behind Sorano, Meredy's voice came- and unlike the bright joy that had permeated it moments before, it was now shaky, uncertain- afraid.
“J-J-Jellal,” she pointed at Zeref. “W-who is that?”
Erik's eyes nearly popped out of his skull as Meredy's thoughts reached him.
“Oh,” Jellal said, glancing back, “this is Natsu's brother, apparently-"
Meredy and Erik's eyes widened further.
Jellal frowned, turning back to Zeref. “Uh, sorry… I don't think I caught your name.”
Zeref exhaled slowly. For a moment, his attention seemed focused on something unseen-then he met Jellal’s gaze.
“My name is Zeref.”
Before Crime Sorciere could respond to the revelation, all seven of them were forced to the ground under the weight of an unbelievable magic pressure.
Black clad soldiers appeared from everywhere- other boats, the water, nearby bait shops- shouting orders and leveling guns in their faces.
As black hoods were yanked over their heads, they heard Natsu say, “Uh… in hindsight… maybe we should have just told them from the get go…”